Which Apple Tree Sapling Variety Is Best? A Detailed Guide to Propagation Methods

Apple is one of the most common fruit varieties in people's daily lives, and the area of China's main apple-producing regions is also considerable, so do you know which apple tree sapling variety is best? Below, the editor of Nongxun Network will learn together with you.

1. Which varieties of apple tree saplings are good?

1. Red Fuji

The Red Fuji variety is relatively common in China. Its characteristics are that it is very large, red all over, and very round in shape, with an average size about that of a baseball. Of the fruit's weight, 9-11% is monosaccharides, and its flesh is dense, sweeter and crisper than many other apple variants, which is why it is widely loved by consumers around the world.

2. Golden Delicious apple

A mid-season variety, currently produced in Gaizhou, Liaoning, Tangshan, Hebei, Shandong, Gansu, Xinjiang and other places, generally ripening around the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day.

3. Gala apple

The fruit is medium-sized, with a single fruit weight of 180-200 grams, short conical in shape, and the fruit surface is golden yellow. The sunny side has a light red blush, with interrupted broad red stripes, and the fruit shape is upright and attractive. The top of the fruit has five ridges, the fruit stalk is slender, and the peel is thin and glossy.

2. Apple tree sapling propagation methods

1. Cultivation of standard seedling rootstock

If the number of seedlings emerging is relatively large, they can be transplanted when they grow to 2-3 true leaves. Transplanting too late makes the recovery period long, while too early results in a low survival rate. If raising seedlings in a small arched shed, before transplanting be sure to open both ends of the arched shed from 8:00 to 16:00 on a fine day and ventilate to harden them for 3-4 days. After transplanting, irrigate immediately; if cultivating fast-growing seedlings, it is best to cover with an arched shed again. After transplanting, the plant and row spacing is generally 20 cm x 30 cm, with 8,000-10,000 seedlings per 667 sq m, and one must never one-sidedly pursue quantity.

When the temperature inside the shed reaches 30°C at noon, pay attention to ventilation. At first, open it at noon; as the temperature rises, it can be covered at night and opened during the day. Under the climatic conditions of central and southern Shandong, after Grain Rain, in late April, the arched shed can be removed. After the seedlings emerge, multiple rounds of intertillage and weeding are needed. Pay attention to topdressing and irrigation during drought, and promptly control pests and diseases, mainly aphids and damping-off. If damping-off occurs, a 600-800 times dilution of carbendazim solution can be poured onto the roots.

2. Cultivation of dwarfing own-root rootstock

Dwarfing own-root rootstock is mainly propagated through cuttings and layering.

Cutting propagation includes shoot cuttings (hardwood cuttings and greenwood cuttings) and root cuttings, generally with root cuttings as the main method. Using the root segments or residual roots left after nursery stock is lifted, cut root segments with a thickness of 0.3-1.5 cm into lengths of about 10 cm, with a flat cut at the upper end and a slanted cut at the lower end, and insert them vertically, being careful not to insert them upside down. For hardwood cuttings, soak in a 1500 mg/kg indolebutyric acid (IBA) solution for 10 s, which can promote good rooting of MM106, with a rooting rate reaching 89%-92%.

3. Cultivation procedures for several kinds of nursery stock

(1) Biennial standard seedling rootstock seedlings (conventional propagation)

Compared with current-year fast-growing seedlings, biennial seedlings are slower to cultivate, but the nursery stock quality is good, the root system is well developed, and the branches are full, so it is recommended that conventional propagation still be the main approach in production, minimizing the amount of current-year fast-growing seedlings. The propagation procedure is: seed collection and storage -> stratification -> germination promotion -> sowing in mid-March (an arched shed may be covered) -> transplanting and final thinning when there are 2-3 true leaves -> remove the shed in late April if covered -> strengthen standard seedling management -> budding in mid-to-late August -> check survival after 10 days -> survived (if not survived, promptly re-bud or re-graft by branch grafting before budbreak or at budbreak) -> strengthen management -> foliar spray of 0.3%-0.4% monopotassium phosphate -> leaf fall in mid-November -> semi-finished seedlings -> cut the rootstock in spring of the second year -> remove sprouts and root suckers from April to June, topdress with nitrogen fertilizer twice, irrigate during drought, control pests and diseases, etc. -> spray 0.4%-0.5% monopotassium phosphate 2-3 times from August to October -> lift from the nursery in late November -> biennial finished seedlings.

(2) Current-year standard seedling rootstock seedlings (three-current seedlings, fast-growing seedlings)

Three-current seedlings are fast to cultivate, but their quality is relatively poor. Even if seedling height and thickness can reach the standard, the amount of fine roots is generally small, the branches are not very full, and the buds are shriveled. However, if the main links are grasped during propagation and cultivation strictly follows the standard procedure, nursery stock of relatively good quality can also be obtained. In particular, continuously spraying phosphorus and potassium fertilizer after late August is very effective for the fullness of buds and branches and the formation of fine roots, and is a key measure for improving the quality of fast-growing seedlings. The propagation procedure is: seed collection and storage -> stratification -> germination must be promoted before sowing -> sow in late February, water with 300-400 times black alum before sowing, and an arched shed must be added -> when there are 2-3 true leaves, transplant and final thinning after ventilation, and it is best to cover with an arched shed again after transplanting -> watch for damping-off; if it occurs, pour 600-800 times carbendazim onto the roots -> begin ventilation when the temperature inside the shed is >30°C; after gradual ventilation, remove the arched shed in late April -> strengthen standard seedling management after removing the shed -> budding from June 15 to 25 -> bend the branch 2 cm above the graft union, check survival after 7-10 days, cut the rootstock, or do not bend the branch and directly cut the rootstock after 1 week -> strengthen management after the grafted bud sprouts -> spray 0.3%-0.4% monopotassium phosphate in late August, once every 10 days, 3-4 times in total, with appropriate water control -> lift from the nursery in late November -> three-current seedlings.

(3) Dwarfing own-root rootstock seedlings

Bud the dwarfing own-root rootstock in late August, or graft the apple variety by branch grafting in spring of the second year, and it is done, with a rootstock segment length of 15-25 cm being suitable.

(4) Dwarfing interstock seedlings

The conventional method requires three years to cultivate. The procedure is: standard seedlings -> bud the dwarfing rootstock in August of the first year (or branch graft in spring of the second year) -> cut the base rootstock in spring of the second year -> graft the apple variety in August of the second year -> cut the interstock in spring of the third year -> lift from the nursery in November of the third year. To accelerate cultivation, the following methods can be used to shorten the propagation period by one year.

① Summer budding of the variety: cultivate standard seedlings by the conventional method -> in August, bud the dwarf rootstock bud 5 cm below on the standard rootstock -> cut the rootstock in spring of the second year -> from late May to early June, bud the variety at 25-35 cm on the dwarf rootstock segment (retaining the leaves of the interstock segment) -> cut the rootstock after budding -> the grafted bud sprouts -> lift from the nursery in late November.

② Summer budding of the rootstock: cultivate standard seedlings according to the fast-growing seedling method -> bud the dwarf rootstock in late June -> cut the rootstock -> bud or branch graft the variety at 25-35 cm on the interstock segment in autumn or spring of the second year -> cut the rootstock -> lift from the nursery in late November.

③ Segmented grafting method: in autumn, graft one variety bud every about 25 cm on a short rootstock branch; in spring of the second year, cut it into segments, with the top of each segment carrying one successfully grafted variety bud, and then branch graft it onto standard rootstock in the nursery. To improve the grafting survival rate, the short rootstock scion carrying the variety should be wax-sealed or bagged and wrapped after grafting.

④ Double grafting method: in the first year, cultivate standard rootstock seedlings by the conventional method; in spring of the second year, first branch graft or chip bud the variety scion onto a dwarf rootstock segment 25-35 cm long, and then branch graft the successfully combined scion onto the standard rootstock. Be sure to wax-seal the scion to improve the survival rate, strengthen management during the growing season, and it can be lifted from the nursery in autumn. (Source: Baidu Knows, China Agriculture Press)

In summary, this is all the content about apple tree saplings. If you want to join the apple growing industry, it is recommended to ask experienced people for advice. At present, there are quite a lot of apple growers, and they are mostly in concentrated growing regions.

Regarding the wonderful pictures and text and popular comments introducing apple tree sapling varieties, you may be interested in the content recommended below by Nongxun Network, and you are welcome to read it.

Agricultural products you may be interested in: High-quality apple tree saplings supplied nationwide