APPLE POLLINATION IN ‘RED DELICIOUS’ AND ‘GOLDEN DELICIOUS’

Abstract

A poor initial fruit set is a factor limiting apple (Malus X domestica Borkh) yields in Cuauhtémoc and Guerrero, Chihuahua, in Northwestern México. ‘Winter Banana’, ‘Snow Drift’, ‘Manchurian’ and ‘Rome Beauty’ were evaluated as pollinators for ‘RedChief Delicious’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Golden Delicious Tardío’ (a late blooming regional mutant) during 2000 and 2001. Variables monitored were full bloom stages occurrence and initial fruit set from manual pollinations. ‘Manchurian’, ‘Snow Drift’ and ‘Winter Banana’ full bloom stages overlapped those of ‘RedChief Delicious’, but not those of ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Golden Delicious Tardío’. The full bloom stage of ‘Rome Beauty’ overlapped with ‘Golden Delicious Tardío’. ‘Golden Delicious Tardío’ had a fruit set of 20 % with open pollination, and was increased to 90 % when pollinated with ‘Rome Beauty. ‘Golden Delicious’ initial fruit set was 98 % when pollinated with ‘Snow Drift’, compared to 61 % with open pollination. Lowest initial fruit set (14 %) was obtained with ‘Winter Banana’ as a pollen source.