PECULIARITIES OF GROWTH AND FRUITING OF APPLE TREES ON ROOTSTOCK SEED IN CONNECTION WITH A REJUVENATING PRUNING

Abstract

The article presents the results of many years of research conducted in the orchard, whose age is more than 35 years. Peculiarities of growth and fruiting of apple tree on a seed rootstock in connection with the rejuvenating pruning carried out against application of mineral fertilizers were studied. The results of the study show that the removal of branches on 5-6 and 7-8 year old wood in the crown of apple tree significantly increases the growth processes. On average, over three years, the length of one-year growth increased in the control variant, where sanitary pruning was carried out from 17.4 cm, to 31.8-38.2 cm in variants with the removal of perennial wood. The greatest increase was noted in the variant with pruning for 7-8 year old wood, which exceeded the same parameter in the second variant by 20,1%. The introduction of azophoska at a dose of 60 kg/ha and 90 kg/ha in the variant with pruning branches on 7-8-year-old wood contributed to the growth of shoots, the length of which was 41.7 and 42.3 cm, respectively. Application of fertilizers on the background of rejuvenating pruning also contributed to higher yields. In the variant with pruning for 5-6-year-old wood with the introduction of 60-90 kg/ha of D. V. azophoska in 2018, a harvest of 25.6 and 26.1 t/ ha, respectively, was obtained. Pruning of trees on 7-8-year-old wood on the background increased the yield of fruits, which amounted to 26.4 and 26.9 t/ha in these variants.