Detailed Explanation of Key Technical Points for Apple Flower Promotion Management
Flower bud differentiation is the foundation of apple flowering and fruiting. Both apple yield and quality need high-quality flower buds as a guarantee, but in production many fruit trees have few flowers, or even no flowers, and a serious alternate bearing phenomenon. Therefore, adopting reasonable flower promotion techniques to create the best conditions for flower bud differentiation and ensure the quality of flower bud differentiation has obvious effects on improving both yield and quality. Come and learn about it with the editor.
1. Pay attention to fertilizer and water management
In the early stage, promote the growth of fruit tree branches and leaves, which is beneficial to the synthesis and accumulation of photosynthetic products. Especially for heavy-crop trees with a large fruit load, fertilizer should be applied at the appropriate time during the critical period of flower bud differentiation in June, focusing on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, applying less nitrogen fertilizer, and moderately controlling water at the same time. However, in cases of excessive drought, when leaves wilt from water loss at noon, a small amount of water should be irrigated appropriately, which is beneficial to flower bud differentiation.
2. Site selection and orchard establishment
It is advisable to choose a high-altitude, wind-sheltered and sunny location for orchard establishment, and at the same time carry out reasonable close planting. Generally, standard trees are planted at 22-33 trees per mu, with the 1st-7th years as the central leader form, the 8th-111th years as the modified central leader form, and the 12th-15th years completing the open-center form. For semi-dwarf and spur-type trees, 44-55 trees are planted per mu, and the tree form should preferably be improved to a spindle shape; dwarf trees are planted at 66-83 trees per mu, and the tree form should preferably be maintained as a slender spindle shape. After pruning to standardize the tree form, suitable ventilation and light conditions are created for flower bud differentiation.
3. Strengthen pruning during the growing season
Pruning of fruit trees during the growing season is mainly aimed at young vigorous trees. You should use your hands more and pruning shears less, with pruning mainly light pruning to balance tree vigor. For vigorous trees, use branch bending; for weak trees, use heading back; for those with excessively dense branches and leaves, use thinning; for those with longer branches and leaves, use cutting back. Before spring, carry out supplementary pruning and bud removal; in summer, you can use pinching and girdling; in autumn, use branch bending and thinning, so as to reduce the amount of branch thinning of fruit trees to a minimum, turn waste branches into branch groups, turn long branches into medium and short branches, and turn leaf buds into flower buds.
4. Flower and fruit thinning
For heavy-crop trees, flowers and fruits should be thinned early, with the yield per mu controlled at around 3000 kg. This can not only prevent excessive nutrient consumption and improve fruit quality, but also overcome the main contradiction between fruits, seeds and flower buds, which is beneficial to flower bud formation and prevents the occurrence of alternate bearing.
The above is an introduction to apple flower promotion management techniques. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.