Technology of improving quality and increasing efficiency in Apple production

Technology of improving quality and increasing efficiency in apple production

Fine apples are high-quality apples with excellent appearance and internal quality, and safety meets the requirements of domestic and foreign markets. Selecting excellent varieties, creating good soil conditions, establishing orchards in suitable places, reasonable close planting and scientific planting are the premise and foundation of fine apple production; scientific fertilization, reasonable shaping and pruning of apple trees, and strengthening fine management of apple trees and flowers are indispensable conditions for producing fine apples [Jishan Huayao]. This paper introduces the cultivation and management techniques of fine apples. To produce fine apples, it is necessary to improve the management level of apple orchard.

1 Select good apple varieties

China is a big apple producing country, apple output accounts for 65% of the world's total apple output, Liaoning "Hanfu", Gansu Tianshui "Huaniu apple", Shaanxi "Luochuan Fuji", Qian County () Red Fuji, Shandong "Fuji" and other apples are famous at home and abroad. In modern apple planting, it is suggested to select short-branch varieties suitable for local conditions, such as "Yanfu","Royal Gara" and "Dayuwanglin", etc., gradually replacing inferior varieties. All new apple orchards shall adopt fine apple varieties and dwarf rootstocks. Old orchards with poor varieties should be replaced in time to improve the degree of improved varieties and realize high-quality apple production [2].

2 Suitable for garden construction

Apple is a perennial plant, suitable for cultivation soil for sandy loam or loam, soil organic matter content can best reach more than 1.2%. Garden construction should be carefully selected garden, first of all, choose deep soil layer, fertile, permeability good sandy loam or loam garden; general soil layer thickness should be more than 1m, can not reach the standard should be padded soil, thickening soil layer; secondly, to fully consider the orchard light conditions. Daylighting conditions have a great impact on apple quality. Generally, mountain orchards have sufficient sunshine, air circulation and good drainage. They bear fruit earlier than flat orchards, and the temperature difference between day and night is large. The fruit quality is good, and it is easy to produce fine products.

3 Scientific colonization

In order to make full use of land resources, the new apple orchards were planted closely, with plant spacing of 2~3m and row spacing of 4~5m. Before planting, dig planting holes according to the required density. The planting holes are 0.8m in diameter and 0.8m in depth. Separate the bottom soil from the topsoil. Then mix the fermented farm manure with the topsoil and backfill it. Fill it to 20cm above the ground and tread it.

Planting is generally carried out in late March to early April in spring. 3~ 5 days before planting, fill enough water in the planting hole to make the live soil sink. Seedlings were first class seedlings, soaked in water for 24h before planting, and treated with rooting powder, and then immediately planted. Irrigation immediately after planting, covering soil with plastic film to preserve moisture.

4. Strengthen field management

4.1 scientific fertilization

Organic fertilizer is the main fertilizer for fine apple production, supplemented by chemical fertilizer, balanced fertilization by soil testing is carried out, and the missing elements are supplemented in time. Organic fertilizer must be fermented at high temperature to prevent burning roots. When the organic fertilizer source of farm is insufficient, commercial biological organic fertilizer can also be purchased and used. Simple application of organic fertilizer usually cannot meet the requirements of apple trees for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and it is necessary to properly match some special compound fertilizers for fruit trees [3].

4.1.1 Base fertilizer application in autumn

Base fertilizer should be farmyard manure or commercial organic manure based. The optimum amount of high quality farm manure applied per 667m2 in apple orchard at full fruiting stage was 3000kg, and the amount of commercial biological organic fertilizer applied per 667m2 was reduced according to the situation, and calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer and fruit tree special compound fertilizer were combined according to the situation. The application method is mainly annular ditch or radial ditch, the ditch depth is about 40cm, with the root penetration gradually deepened, and the fertilizer is timely irrigated.

4.1.2 Topdressing

Apple orchards are topdressed 2 - 3 times a year. The first time before germination, nitrogen fertilizer was dominant. In the second time, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer were mainly used, and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer were used in combination during flower bud differentiation and young fruit expansion. For the third time, only red Fuji and other late-maturing varieties were treated, and topdressing was applied in the middle and early August, mainly potassium fertilizer, with a small amount of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer. Fertilization method generally adopts ring ditch method, ditch depth 15~20cm, timely irrigation after topdressing.

4.1.3 Foliar fertilizer spraying

Foliar fertilizer spraying is a fertilizer application method which is easy to be absorbed by crops, fast in fertilizer efficiency and high in fertilizer utilization rate. Generally, it is sprayed twice in the early stage of growth, mainly boron fertilizer and liquid calcium fertilizer; it is sprayed 2~3 times in the late stage of growth, mainly phosphorus fertilizer, potassium fertilizer and liquid calcium fertilizer. The concentration of common fertilizer is 500 times of calcium amino acid, 0.2%~0.3% of potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 0.1%~0.2% of borax. The last foliar fertilizer must be sprayed before 20 days of fruit harvest.

4.2 rational shaping and pruning

Spindle and slender spindle apple tree pruning has the advantages of simple operation and easy popularization, less pruning branches, balanced tree vigor, less big branches, more branches, good lighting conditions and high quality fruit rate. According to the planting density, the orchard with 2m×4m row spacing adopts slender spindle tree shape, the orchard with 3~4m row spacing adopts spindle shape, the orchard with 4~5m row spacing adopts spindle shape.

4.2.1 Pruning young trees

Young trees are pruned mainly for shaping, usually in early spring. All branches below 50cm of trunk shall be thinned out; one branch shall be left every 20cm or so above 50cm, and the direction shall be selected. Branches longer than 70cm are not cut, all are slowly flattened and bud carved; branches about 50cm in length are lightly truncated; branches less than 30cm are severely truncated to promote new branches, and then treated in the following year. The central trunk is generally not cut short, but cut every 20cm to promote uniform growth of branches. May to June to timely twist the tip, topping control growth, healthy trees for the main branch ring cut, promote flower bud differentiation.

4.2.2 Pruning of the first fruiting tree

The pruning method of early bearing fruit trees is mainly summer pruning and winter and summer pruning. In winter, pruning is mainly thinning, supplemented by shrinking, and main branches with single axis extension are cultivated. For the upright branches in the crown, those with space shall be flattened, and those without space shall be thinned out; excessive long branches and thin and weak branches shall be resolutely thinned out; the auxiliary branches affecting the growth of main branches shall be mainly reduced and cut, and transformed into large-scale fruiting branch groups; for the moderate branches or moderately strong branches, the long branches shall be put out without cutting, so as to promote flower formation. Summer pruning mainly adopts bud carving, branch pulling, twisting and girdling methods. In the middle of May, when the new shoots grow to 15cm, they should be twisted in time, those over 20cm should be picked and controlled, those without growth space should be thinned out in time, and those with space can be cut short again to promote new shoots. Girdling was carried out in early June, trunk girdling was used for vigorous trees, ring cutting and strangulation could be used for weak trees to promote flower bud differentiation and fruit expansion. In August, pull or take the branches, take the steps of "pushing, kneading, pressing and positioning", pull the branches to nearly 80°, and straighten them without "bow". The germination rate and flowering rate can be increased by reasonable pruning and shaping.

4.2.3 Fruit tree pruning

The apple trees in full fruiting period have completed the task of pruning. The main task of pruning is to stabilize the tree vigor and structure, stabilize the fruiting position, update and rejuvenate the fruiting branch group in time, and prevent the fruiting position from moving outward. In addition, we must control the amount of results to prevent the occurrence of large and small year results. During pruning, except for the branches reserved for backbone branches, other branches shall be treated as auxiliary branches, and the over-dense auxiliary branches shall be retracted or thinned in time. Remove 1~2 at a time, can not be redundant branches at a time all sparse, should master the principle of "rapid and slow distinction, sub-thinning". The main branch needs to be adjusted in extension direction, angle and growth; the secondary branch depends on whether it affects the main branch. Close planting garden pruning should be done "between trees can hold hands, rows never meet", two rows of trees between at least 80cm distance. After the crown grows to a certain size, there is no need to expand the crown. At this time, the peripheral branches must not be truncated. The branches should be treated by pulling branches and taking branches. You can also use the back branch or lateral branch to change the head, so that it both maintains the advantage and does not flourish. Summer pruning mainly adopts bud carving, branch pulling, twisting, girdling and other methods to promote flowers and fruits. Before and after germination, the center trunk and the missing branch part on the main branch shall be cut above the bud to promote the emergence of new branches; the main branch which is extremely prosperous and difficult to flower shall be circumcised and stripped from late May to early June; the useless branches such as budding, excessive long branches and over-dense branches shall be thinned in time. To stabilize the fruiting position, carefully prune the fruiting branch group so that the fruiting branches in the branch group remain "young". The pruning of branch groups should be done with contraction, expansion and contraction combination, so that branch groups can be updated in turn and bear fruit cyclically. A certain proportion of vegetative branches should be maintained in the branch group, not all fruit branches. In order to maintain good ventilation and light transmission conditions, the cross, overlap and parallel branches in the crown should be appropriately compressed or thinned to make the fruiting branches as close to the backbone branches as possible.

In short, we should pay attention to the regeneration and rejuvenation of branch groups, improve the light conditions in the bore, promote the healthy growth of branch groups, and ensure high and stable yield.

4.3 flower and fruit management

In order to obtain high quality fruit and improve the rate of high quality fruit, the measures of flower and fruit management play a key role.

4.3.1 Deciding fruit by flowers, thinning flowers and fruits

The earlier the flower thinning, the better, inflorescence separation period can begin. The flowers and fruits on strong trees and strong branches are less sparse, and the flowers and fruits on weak trees and weak branches should be appropriately sparse. The varieties with high fruit-setting rate should mainly have sparse inflorescences, and the varieties with low fruit-setting rate should mainly have sparse single flowers, and it should be appropriate to have less sparse inflorescences. Generally, large fruits have an inflorescence every 20~25cm, each inflorescence has a central flower, and the rest are all thinned out. There are late frost orchards, can appropriately leave more central flowers, wait for fruit set after fruit thinning, every 20~25cm to leave a fruit.

Fruit thinning should eliminate small fruit, abnormal fruit, rough young fruit, more sparse side fruit in double fruit, fruit on erect branches and short fruit branches with less than six leaves under fruit base and axillary flower buds. Select the young fruit with regular fruit shape, long round shape, thick fruit stalk, flat fruit shoulder and downward calyx depression. More in the drooping, oblique and stout branches to leave fruit, the requirements of the center fruit, single fruit mainly; generally thin branches do not leave fruit. In areas where the temperature is relatively stable, fruit thinning begins about two weeks after flowering and is completed within a month.

4.3.2 Fruit bagging

Bagging can improve the fruit color, make the fruit surface smooth, improve the appearance quality, increase the commodity rate obviously, and reduce the pesticide residue. The quality of the fruit bag directly affects the effect of bagging. Generally, it requires a fruit bag with good light transmission, good air permeability, disease and pest prevention, rust prevention, dust prevention and pollution prevention; and it has the characteristics of tensile resistance, rain resistance, aging resistance, thin and uniform wax paper layer, and no fading. For some red varieties, the outer surface is gray or light brown, the inner surface is black, and the inner layer is waxy red. Bagging is usually carried out 45~50 days after flowering.

Before bagging, spray pesticide and fungicide once in the whole garden. The pesticide can be selected from 800 times of Dasheng M- 45, 3000 times of 10% imidacloprid and 5000 times of 1.8% acaricide, and then bagging. Bagging should avoid dew period and high temperature period at noon.

4.3.3 Bag removal

Remove the bag 20~25 days before harvest. The outer bag should be torn open first, and the inner bag should be removed after 5 days to prevent sunburn.

4.3.4 Leaf picking and fruit spreading reflective film

After removing the bag, the leaves around the fruit should be removed and the fruit rotated gently in stages so that the shade faces the light and the fruit is fully colored. For hanging fruit, rotate the fruit 180° and fix it on the branch with transparent adhesive tape. If double fruits are encountered, they can be rotated 180° and then leaned together.

After removing the bags, silver-gray reflective film is spread inward from the outer edge of the vertical projection of the tree crown along both sides of the tree rows or on the tree tray, and the inner and outer edges of the film are compacted with soil. Attention is paid to keeping the film surface clean, increasing the utilization rate of reflected light, so that the fruits and calyx pits at the lower part of the tree crown and their surroundings can be fully colored.

4.3.5 Harvest by stages and batches

Because of the different positions of fruit in the canopy, apple coloring is different in sequence. Generally, the fruits on the periphery, upper part and south side of the crown are easy to be colored, so they should be picked first, and gradually harvested with the increase of fruit coloring in the inner bore, lower part and north side, so as to improve the high quality fruit rate.

To sum up, the main techniques for producing high-quality apples are to select fine apple varieties, establish orchards in suitable places, rationally plant close, scientifically fertilize, reasonably shape and prune, and carefully manage flowers and fruits. Fruit growers timely grasp these technologies, which is conducive to improving the quality of apple orchards, producing fine apples, increasing the economic income of fruit growers and promoting the development of apple industry.