Introduction performance and main cultivation techniques of Yuehua Apple in Jinzhou area

Introduction performance and main cultivation techniques of Yuehua apple in Jinzhou area

Yuehua is a late-maturing apple variety bred by crossing Hanfu as female parent and Yueshuai as male parent by Fruit Science Research Institute of Liaoning Province. In 2009, Liaoning Province Fruit Science Research Institute introduced Yuehua to Jinzhou area of Liaoning Province for regional test. After years of cultivation, Yuehua showed the characteristics of strong adaptability, good yield and excellent quality in Jinzhou area (Figure 1), which is suitable for popularization and cultivation in Jinzhou area.

Fig. 1 Yuehua Apple participates in the exhibition of "Geographical Indications of Jinzhou Apple Agricultural Products"

1 Basic information of demonstration park

Jinzhou area belongs to the north temperate semiarid monsoon continental climate, cold in winter and warm in summer, abundant sunshine, annual average temperature 8~9 ℃, January average temperature-8.8~-11 ℃, July average temperature 24~26 ℃, annual precipitation 450~650 mm, frost-free period 150~180 days. Fruit ripening season (from early September) day and night temperature difference is large, high and low temperature difference of 10~13 ℃, conducive to fruit coloring and sugar content increase, is a unique favorable climate conditions, very suitable for high-quality apple production. The demonstration garden is located in the fruit tree production base of Wuchu Manor Group Co., Ltd., Xinglongyu Village, Baitaizi Township, Linghai City, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province. The cultivation area is 2 hectares, the north-south direction, the plant spacing is 3 meters ×4 meters, and the pollinating trees are cold and rich. Orchard land is hillside land, sandy loam, soil layer is deep, organic matter content (mass fraction) is about 0.9%.

2 Introduction performance

2.1 fruit economic character

The fruit is oblong, 8.0 cm in longitudinal diameter, 8.5 cm in transverse diameter, 0.94 in fruit shape index, 230 g in average fruit weight; the surface of the fruit is bright red when ripe, the background is yellow-green, the fruit surface is smooth; the peduncle and calyx are deep; the flesh is yellow-white, the flesh is crisp, the juice is rich, the taste is sour and sweet, and there is fragrance; the soluble solid content (mass fraction) is 12.6%, and the fruit hardness is 7.1 kg/cm2.

2.2 growth and fruiting habit

Strong growth vigor, open tree posture, strong branches, short branch internodes, high germination rate, strong branch formation force; young trees mainly bear fruit by axillary flower buds and long fruit branches, and trees mainly bear fruit by medium and short fruit branches at full fruit stage; good high yield and strong continuous fruiting ability (Figure 2). In Jinzhou area, Liaoning Province, the average yield of 4-year-old trees is 20 kg, 5-year-old trees is 35 kg, and 6-year-old trees is 50 kg.

Fig. 2 Fruit shape of Yuehua apple

2.3 phenophase

In Jinzhou area, Yuehua apple sprouts in mid-April, blooms in late April, blooms in early May, blooms for about one week, fruits begin to color in late September, fruits mature in mid-October, leaves fall in early November, fruit development period is about 160 days, tree vegetative growth period is about 215 days.

2.4 cold resistance

Yuehua apple has strong cold resistance. After many years of cultivation in Jinzhou area, there is no freezing injury to the trunk and branches. In the first year of planting, the terminal buds were slightly frozen, and the freezing rate of terminal buds was 18%, which was lower than that of Hanfu apple (25%).

3 Main cultivation techniques

3.1 planting

Choose deep fertile soil layer, low groundwater level, no ponding in rainy season, convenient drainage sandy loam plot is good. Dig planting ditches in autumn one year before planting, apply sufficient base fertilizer, plant according to the plant spacing of 3 m ×4 m before germination in the next year, irrigate in time after planting, and cover plastic film to increase temperature and preserve moisture.

3.2 training and pruning

Spindle-shaped trees are used. During winter shearing, the extended branches of the central trunk shall be sheared by 60~70 cm every year. It is better to cut the extended branches of the main branches lightly or not to cut them to ease the growth potential. When the central trunk reaches the expected height, it can no longer be truncated. The main branches are pulled to above 90° in May and June. All competing branches and excessive branches in extension and growth should be thinned out.

3.3 soil, fertilizer and water management

Grass growing between rows and crop straw covering in rows shall be carried out. In August and September, apply enough base fertilizer, mainly decomposed farm manure, and mix with appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. In June and July, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium ternary compound fertilizer is applied twice. Irrigation should be done in time during germination period, fruit expansion period and before soil freezing, and freezing water should be poured enough at one time before soil freezing, which is beneficial to apple tree safety overwintering and early spring growth and development.

3.4 flower and fruit management

Yuehua fruit type is larger, to strictly thin flowers and fruits. Thinning flowers by distance method, thinning out overdense and thin inflorescences, retaining a robust inflorescence every 25~30 cm. Thinning fruit according to the ratio of branch to fruit 5:1, selecting big fruit and good fruit. Bagging was carried out 50 days after flowering, and 1~3 days before bagging, the whole garden was sprayed with pollution-free and low-toxicity fungicides carefully once. 20 days before fruit ripeness, bag picking, laying reflective film after bag picking to promote fruit coloring.

3.5 pest control

Yuehua has strong disease resistance in Jinzhou area of Liaoning Province, and is more resistant to apple branch ring disease. Attention should be paid to the control of leaf roller, red spider, apple aphid and golden stripe moth. During dormancy period, clear the garden, thoroughly remove fallen leaves, weeds and dead branches, etc., and bury them deeply or burn them. Before spring germination, the whole garden should be carefully sprayed with a 3~5 Baume sulfur mixture to eradicate latent pathogens. From red dew stage to inflorescence stage, trichlorfon was sprayed with 200 times solution to control leaf roller moth, 5%(mass fraction, the same later) chlorpyrifos was sprayed with 1 200 times solution to control red spider after flower drop, 48% chlorpyrifos was sprayed with 1 200 times solution to control apple aphid in early June, and 25% chlorfenuron was sprayed with 1 500 times solution to control golden stripe moth in middle and late August.