Volume 59 Number 1 Article 4
Year 2005 Month 1
Title: Performance of Apple Cultivars in the 1995 NE-183 Regional Project Planting: I Growth and Yield Characteristics
Authors: R. Crassweller, R. McNew, A. Azarenko, B. Barritt, R. Belding, L. Berkett, S. Brown, J. Clemens, J. Cline, W. Cowgill, D. Ferree, E. Garcia, D. Greene, G. Greene, C. Hampson, I. Merwin, D. Miller, S. Miller, R. Moran, J. Obermiller, D. Rosenberger, C. Rom, T. Roper, J. Schupp and E. Stover
Abstract:
A multi-site experiment to evaluate the performance of apple cultivars was established in 1995 with twenty
different cultivars.
The purpose of the experiment was to evaluate new and promising apple cultivars in a range
of geographical and climatic areas within North America.
All trees were propagated on M.9 and minimally pruned
to encourage early bearing.
At the end of the fifth growing season 'Shizuka' were the largest trees, and had the
highest yields. 'Honeycrisp' and 'Braeburn' were among the smallest trees and had low cumulative yields. 'Gala
Supreme', 'Golden Supreme' and 'Pristine' were among the least yield efficient.
Across all sites, 'Fortune', 'Golden
Supreme', 'Pristine', 'Suncrisp' and 'Yataka' had biennial bearing indices (BI) that suggested that they were more
prone to biennial bearing. 'GoldRush' had the highest cumulative yield efficiency and cumulative crop load of all
the cultivars tested. ' Arlet' had the highest mean number of fruit per year, while the largest fruit were produced
by 'Shizuka'. 'Pristine' and 'Golden Supreme' had high levels of preharvest fruit drop.
Days from full bloom to
harvest varied depending upon cultivar with 'Pristine' maturing first and 'GoldRush' last.
A stability analysis was
performed for all variable measured.
No cultivar proved perfectly stable.
However, 'Fuji' had the fewest significant
stability variances while 'Honeycrisp' had the most significant variances.
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