Apple tree cultivation technology

Apple is also a high-yield fruit tree with strong adaptability to soil. Generally, thin land on hills, riverbanks, and lightly saline-alkali land can be cultivated in patches after appropriate improvement. Growth and fruiting habits and requirements for environmental conditions

1. Growth and fruiting habits There is no natural dormancy period in the apple root system. Adult trees have 2 to 3 growth peaks in a year, which vary depending on the distribution of photosynthetic products, the formation rate of above-ground organs, soil temperature, moisture and other external environments. The first growth of the root system begins before germination, and reaches a low ebb when flowering and new shoots are vigorously growing; when the new shoots are about to stop growing, the root growth appears for the second time, with a large number but a short growth time; the third growth peak is at Before and after autumn growth stops and fruit is harvested, due to the long autumn in Huaibei, the root growth lasts longer and the growth volume is large. This is a good opportunity for the tree to accumulate and store nutrients. In addition, the upper and lower root systems grow alternately due to the influence of soil temperature.

Apple branches are divided into two types: growing branches and fruiting branches. The growing branches are divided into long branches, medium branches, short branches and leaf cluster branches according to their length. Different types of branches stop growing sooner or later and have different abilities to store nutrients. Leaf clusters and short branches generally stop growing 3 to 4 weeks after budding and unfolding leaves. Nutrients accumulate early and are rarely transported outside. Medium and long branches stop growing late and sometimes fail to form head buds. They produce more assimilated nutrients and have a large amount of external transport. They are the main source of nutrients stored in the tree body (including the root system). Therefore, the same tree must have different numbers and proportions of long, medium and short branches. Apple new shoots often show obvious secondary growth characteristics. Long branches can be divided into spring shoots and autumn shoots. Compared with northern apple-producing areas, the large amount of new shoot growth and the large proportion of autumn shoots are two characteristics of apple branch growth in Huaibei. Young trees tend to grow vigorously.

Different apple varieties have differences in their germination rate, branching ability and apical dominance, which affects the stemness, layering and tree shape of the entire crown, and also affects the initial growth. The morning and evening of the fruiting period.

Based on their length and the position of flower buds, fruiting branches can be divided into long fruiting branches (>15cm), medium fruiting branches (5cm to 15cm), short fruiting branches (<5cm) and axillary flowering buds. Four categories. The flower buds are mixed buds that can produce new shoots after opening, and bloom and bear fruit at the top. Because the new shoots that bear fruit are very short and expand to form a fruit platform after fruiting, the fruiting branches are actually the mother branches. Most apple varieties mainly bear fruit on short fruit branches. Some varieties have long fruiting branches and axillary flower buds in the sapling stage and early fruiting stage. They all occupy a certain proportion, which is a sign that saplings can bear fruit early. As the tree ages, the proportion of various types of fruiting branches will change, gradually transitioning to mainly short fruiting branches.

After the new phase of fruiting, there will generally be 1 to 2 fruiting branches (i.e. fruiting branches) on them, which may be longer or shorter, depending on the characteristics of the variety. The ability of Guotai Technology to continuously form flower buds varies depending on the variety and nutrition. Guoguang can last for 5 years, Golden Delicious can last about 3 years, and most Red Stars can form flower buds and bear fruit every other year.

Apples are usually cross-pollinated and fruit-bearing tree species, and pollination varieties need to be deployed in production to achieve normal fruit-setting rate requirements. However, some varieties, such as Guoguang, Anna, and Maiyan, have a certain degree of self-pollination and seed setting rate. The flowering period is generally 6 to 8 days. The flowering period is shortened when the temperature is high and dry, and prolonged when the air is cool and humid. Some varieties have a longer flowering period, and the flowers bloom in batches. The first batch of flowers is of good quality and has a high fruit setting rate. When there are many flowers, the late flowers can be thinned out early; if the number of flowers is insufficient, or the first batch of flowers suffers from frost, the late flowers can be fully utilized. .

During fruit development, there is a process of flower drop and fruit drop twice. Flower drop is the shedding of the pollinated and fertilized flowers, and the ovary is not enlarged. The first fruit drop occurs 1 to 2 weeks after flowering. It is caused by incomplete fertilization and the young fruit has already reached a certain size. The second fruit drop occurs 2 to 4 weeks after the first fruit drop, also known as "June fruit drop". It is mainly caused by competition for nutrients among various organs and is closely related to the strength of the tree. In addition, some varieties have a pre-harvest fruit drop before the fruit matures. Fruit drop in June is a self-thinning phenomenon formed during the development of fruit tree systems. Normal and a certain amount of fruit drop is natural, but if severe fruit drop occurs due to poor climate or improper cultivation techniques, the yield will be affected. According to calculations, when there are many flowers, only 5% to 15% of the flowers can bear fruit to ensure a high yield. The number of natural fruits per inflorescence of different apple varieties is often different. Golden Delicious and Guoguang often have more fruits, up to 4 to 5, Marshal and Red Star often only have 1, and Ruby only have 1 to 2.

2. Requirements for environmental conditions Apple prefers cool, dry and sunny climate conditions. It is generally believed that the average temperature during the growing period from April to October is 12 to 18 degrees, which is most suitable for the growth of apples. When the temperature is too high in summer, when the average temperature is >26 degrees, the flower buds will be poorly differentiated, the fruits will develop quickly, and they will not be able to withstand storage. The suitable coloring temperature for red varieties before maturity is 10 to 20 degrees. If the temperature difference between day and night is small and the night temperature is high, coloring will be difficult. Comparing the climatic conditions in the northern region, especially the medium-ripening red varieties, there is a certain gap in temperature from the optimal requirements. Going south to the Yangtze River Basin, the gap widens.

The annual precipitation in the world's main apple-producing areas is about 500 mm to 800 mm. The flower bud differentiation and fruit maturity stages require relatively dry air and sufficient sunlight, so that the fruit surface will be smooth, the color will be rich, and the flower buds will be full.

If there is too much rainfall and insufficient sunshine, it will easily lead to leggy branches and leaves, poor flower bud differentiation, low and unstable yields, serious diseases and insect pests, and poor fruit quality. The annual precipitation in Huaibei is about 800 mm, but the distribution is uneven. Spring drought, late summer drought or autumn drought sometimes occurs. The rainfall in most years from July to August is too concentrated, so irrigation and drainage measures need to be strengthened.

Apple is a light-loving tree species. Sufficient light is conducive to normal growth and fruiting, and is conducive to improving fruit quality. Different varieties have different light requirements. The annual sunshine hours in Huaibei are more than 2,000 hours, which can basically meet the needs of apple growth and development.

In terms of soil, apples are suitable for sandy loam with deep soil, good drainage and rich organic matter. The pH value of the soil should be slightly acidic to neutral. When the soil is poorly aerated, root growth is stunted. When the pH is above 7.8, pigment deficiency and chlorosis are likely to occur. The salt tolerance of soil is less than 0.15%.

Shaping and pruning

1. The basic tasks of shaping and pruning can be summarized as the following three aspects: First, cultivate a good tree structure, including the height of the trunk, the size of the tree, the number of backbone branches and the angle of branches, etc., to increase the effective fruiting in the crown. volume and prevent flat fruiting; the second is to cultivate various types of fruiting branch groups and make full use of the space to achieve multiple but not chaotic, dense but not crowded; the third is to balance the tree vigor, adjust the relationship between growth and fruiting, and maintain a strong tree body, laying the foundation for early fruiting and high and stable yields.

The tree shape used in apple shaping, arborized trees generally promote the sparsely layered shape (also called the main trunk sparsely layered shape), and semi-dwarf trees and short-branch trees generally promote the small crown sparsely layered shape. and free spindle.

The structural characteristics of the evacuation layered tree shape are: 50 cm to 60 cm in height. After the shaping is completed, the whole tree will have 5 to 6 main branches, arranged in two layers (sometimes there is a third layer). The three main branches on the first layer are adjacent or adjacent, within 20 cm to 40 cm apart, and the opening angle is 60 to 70 degrees. The two main branches on the second layer are stretched out and staggered with the main branches on the first layer. The opening angle is smaller than the main branches on the first layer, 45 to 50 degrees. The distance between the main branches on the first and second floors (spacing between layers) is 80 cm to 100 cm. There are two deputy main branches (also called side branches) on each of the three main branches at the base, staggered to each other, and one deputy main branch on the second layer of main branches. The whole tree is 4 to 5 meters high. This kind of tree shape has an obvious central trunk, and it will fall happily in the later stage. If there is a third layer of main branches, they are usually temporary branches that are removed when they fall. The main branches grow in layers, small at the top and large at the bottom, with a large distance between layers. It conforms to the growth characteristics of apples. It forms early and has a solid structure. The main branches can evenly occupy a larger space and have good ventilation and light transmission.

The base is the first layer of main branches, the upper part is the second layer of main branches, and the top part is the happy place after the tree shape is completed. The numbers respectively indicate the stem height, the distance between layers, the distance between layers, and the distance between the first sub-main branch on the main branch and the trunk.

The key points of plastic surgery are: the three main branches at the base can be selected and cultivated in stages within two years to maintain a balance of power; the upper main branches should not be left with south-facing branches to avoid affecting the penetration of light. The whole tree should maintain an obvious subordinate relationship, that is, the growth potential of the central trunk should be stronger than that of the main branch, the main branch should be stronger than the sub-main branch, and the upper and lower main branches should be smaller than the main branch. When the central stem is too strong, you can use a three-branch branch to change the main branch, and use the second branch to replace the original head to extend the growth, forming a small bend, controlling the strength, and at the same time enhancing the growth potential of the first layer of main branches. When only two main branches on the first layer can be selected and cultivated, a suitable "gate test" can be left far away from the base of the main branch to replace the third main branch, forming a form of "replacing the main branch with the side" to complete the crown of the tree. On the contrary, if the first layer of branches has formed 4 and is slightly crowded, and if a main branch lacks secondary main branches (side branches), the pruning method of "testing by main branches" can also be used to cut the five main branches according to the number of branches. Side branches belonging to a certain main branch are required to be pruned and controlled. The first sub-main branch on the three main branches of Keye is required to be cultivated 60 cm to 80 cm away from the branch point of the main trunk in the direction of the anticlinal side of the main branch. Try not to leave a "door side" to prevent the inner part of the crown and the lower part of the tree. The branches are crowded. For main branches with too small branch angles, support, pull and other methods should be used to open them as soon as possible. After the tree begins to bear a large number of fruits (10 to 13 years), the tree's vigor becomes stable. At this time, the original center can be reshaped and the upper part can be illuminated more. When the main branch extends outward obliquely, it can extend in a straight line or in a wavy manner depending on the specific situation, but it should not be bent left or right. The length of the main branches during winter pruning is generally 45 cm to 60 cm, and the secondary main branches are generally 40 cm to 50 cm. Keep a distance of about 1 meter between the backbone branches.

The tree structure of the sparsely layered tree with small crown is basically the same as that of the sparsely layered tree, but the tree height, crown diameter and backbone branch order are all strictly controlled, making the tree more compact. Generally, the stem height is 30 to 40 centimeters, the tree height is 2.5 to 3 meters, the crown diameter is 3.5 to 4 meters, and the crown is oblate. There are 5 to 6 main branches in the whole tree, 3 in the first layer, no more layers upward, leaving 1 main branch every 40 cm to 50 cm. The opening angle of the main branches on the first layer is 60 to 70 degrees, and there are two sub-main branches on each. The first branch is about 20 cm away from the trunk, and the second branch is installed 20 cm upwards in the opposite direction. There are no secondary main branches left on the upper main branch, and the fruiting branch group grows directly on it. After entering the fruiting period, the central stem will drop and the head will be happy to control the tree height and crown width.

Free spindle is also a tree shape with a central stem. The height is 40 to 50 cm, the tree height is 2.5 to 3 meters, and the crown diameter is 2.5 to 3 meters.

The center is upright, with 10 to 15 lateral branches evenly arranged on it, extending to all sides without obvious layers. The 3 to 5 lateral branches at the bottom are longer and stronger, keeping a distance of 8 cm to 10 cm from each other, and serve as the backbone branches. The lateral branches closer to the upper part of the central trunk are shorter and weaker, and they only play the role of fruiting basal branches. Keep a distance of 50 cm to 60 cm between the upper and lower side growths in the same direction. The entire crown has only one level of branches, all of which are induced at an opening angle of 70 to 90 degrees. Medium and small branch groups are cultivated above, or short fruit branches and short fruit branch groups are directly used to produce fruit. After reaching the predetermined tree height, the central trunk will fall and the crown will be wide conical or spindle-shaped. This tree shape can be used for dwarf apple trees or short-branch varieties of apples.

2. Pruning is divided into two categories: winter pruning (dormant period pruning) and summer pruning (growing period pruning). The basic methods of winter pruning include short cutting, retraction and thinning. Sometimes the long-term pruning without pruning is also included in the general pruning method. . Short pruning can be divided into several different degrees, such as light pruning, medium pruning and heavy pruning, so the pruning responses are also different. Cutting the branches lightly or growing them longer will help to ease the branch and tree vigor. Cutting, re-cutting or retracting branches will help promote the growth of branch buds and the renewal and rejuvenation of branch groups and backbone branches. Thinning branches can reduce branches, improve light, and inhibit the growth of flowers, which is beneficial to the formation of flower buds. Summer pruning includes basic methods such as topping, wiping buds, thinning, twisting, holding branches, pulling branches, and girdling. Generally speaking, summer pruning has a certain inhibitory effect on tree growth, can alleviate branch and tree vigor, and is often conducive to the formation of flower buds. It is often used on young and vigorous trees.

The pruning of apple trees in the young stage is mainly to select and cultivate the backbone branches. At the same time, master the light pruning to leave more auxiliary branches to increase the number of branches and leaves, balance the growth of the aboveground and root systems early, and promote flowering and fruiting. .

After the seedlings are planted, the seedlings are cut short according to the requirements of different tree shapes, which is called stemming. When drying, there should be more than 5 to 7 full buds under the cut, and 20 to 25 centimeters is called the shaping band. After these pre-buds have matured, select the extension technique that leaves the central trunk and the first layer of main branches or thicker lateral branches. Every winter, cut and cultivate the center trunk and backbone branches at all levels according to the plastic surgery requirements. Pay attention to the quality of the cut buds and the direction of the remaining buds. The growing branches located in the center between layers and at the lower part of the main branches, except for those that are too dense and need to be thinned out, the remaining branches should be appropriately retained as auxiliary branches, and the method of light pruning, lengthening and flattening should be adopted so that they can support the tree body. , ease tree vigor and early fruiting. Do not support the buds in the current year by setting the trunk below the shaping belt, which is conducive to accelerating the thickening of the trunk and the growth of the root system. The branches that are close to the ground and crowded can be thinned out, and the rest can be controlled or thrown away.

While cultivating the backbone and using auxiliary branches, various groups of large, medium and small branches should be cultivated in time behind, on both sides and on the back of the main branches and sub-main branches to ensure stable results. . The arrangement of branch groups within the crown should be sparse at the top and dense at the bottom, and sparse on the inside and dense in the middle. During the early fruiting period, more flat and inclined branches should be cultivated on the sides and back. After the fruiting period, more upright branches on the back should be used to maintain the growth potential of the branches. Plants that adopt a free hammer-shaped tree do not need to cultivate large branch groups.

Summer pruning is an important measure to slow down the growth of young vigorous trees, promote flower bud differentiation and early high yield, and should be fully applied. For vigorously growing auxiliary branches, after the spring shoots stop growing and when the autumn shoots begin to grow, the branches can be removed so that the xylem of the branches will be damaged and continue to change the angle, direction and growth. For saplings that grow vigorously and have no or few flowers, methods such as spring carving, summer girdling, and autumn branch pulling can also be used to promote flowering. Spring carving refers to carving above the buds on both sides and back of the trunk branches or lateral branches before budding in spring to promote more buds; summer girdling is performed on the main trunk or main branches or auxiliary branches from late May to early June. Girdle or cut 3 to 4 times at the base of the growing branch to allow more nutrients to accumulate in the girdling mouth and promote flowering; autumn branching is to enlarge the opening angle of the branch before and after the growth stops in autumn, which is beneficial to softening the branches. potential. The attraction of free spindle-shaped tree-shaped lateral branches is also mostly carried out during this period. About 20 days after the growth stops in autumn, the techniques of pruning the tips and retracting the inner membrane of the auxiliary branches can also slow down the growth of young vigorous trees and rejuvenate the small branches.

After entering the fruiting period, when it gradually switches to focusing on the results of technical groups, the auxiliary branches that have grown for many years must be cleaned, retracted and transformed year by year. Especially if the canopy is closed, it should be lowered and opened year by year to allow light to penetrate into the interior. In order to stabilize the results and prevent annual growth, it is necessary to control and maintain a certain ratio of flower buds and leaf buds (2 to 4) during winter pruning. In years when there are too many flower buds, you can thin the buds, cut them short, retract and break the tops, and cooperate with thinning the flowers and fruits to prevent excessive fruiting and promote hair growth. In years when there are fewer flower buds, try to retain as many flower buds as possible to bear fruit. The performance technical team must be constantly updated and rejuvenated, the weak should be retained in the strong, and the performance capabilities should be maintained in a meticulous manner. In short, pruning should maintain a certain ratio between fruiting and nutritional techniques. Generally speaking, the number of fruiting branches each year should not exceed 30% to 40% of the total number of branches. When the peripheral branches between the plants begin to connect, in principle, the extended branches should no longer be cut short, but can be reduced and placed, so that there is always a leading branch with strong growth potential.

When the tree body gradually ages and the new growth on the periphery is less than 30 cm, the backbone branches should be retracted to the branch branches of the 2-4 year-old parts in time to promote the renewal and rejuvenation of the larger crown.

Soil, fertilizer and water management and others

1. Soil, Fertilizer, and Water Management The task of soil management is to improve the soil and the utilization and arrangement of soil between tree rows.

After the fruits are harvested in autumn and winter every year, the soil of the tree disk must be deeply plowed and improved in combination with fertilization to increase the content of soil organic matter, improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil, and enhance the soil's fertilizer and water retention capabilities. Young trees are mainly plowed deeply to expand holes, while in adult gardens, deep plowing can be done in alternate rows or in the entire garden. The depth should be slightly deeper than the main root distribution layer of the apple tree (generally 50 cm to 60 cm deep). In addition, silting and adding sand according to different soil conditions also have a good effect on the growth of apple roots and can be applied according to specific conditions.

Green manure or dwarf crops, such as peanuts, soybeans, watermelons, potatoes, strawberries, etc., can be intercropped between the rows of young trees to increase profits, but the intercrops must be kept at a certain distance from the apple trees to avoid their The roots and apple roots grow crosswise, exacerbating the conflict between competition for fertilizer and water. Soil management between adult tree rows mainly includes clear tillage method, clear tillage cover crop method and grass mulching method, which can be used according to local conditions. The clear tillage method means no crops are planted between the rows and the soil is plowed frequently throughout the year to keep the soil loose and weed-free. The clear tillage cover crop method is to keep clear tillage in the early stages of growth when apples require the most fertilizer and water, then plant cover crops in the later stages or during the rainy season, and turn them in as green manure at the right time. The grass mulching method is to cover the canopy or the entire garden with weeds, straw, etc., with a thickness of 15 cm to 20 cm. The mulch will be replenished year after year as it rots. Grass mulch has the functions of increasing soil organic matter, killing weeds, no-tillage, anti-freezing and improving soil water, fertilizer, gas and heat conditions. It is especially suitable for hilly mountainous apple orchards and tidal flat apple orchards with high salt content. However, it should be noted that the main trunk is susceptible to rodent and insect damage, and the root system is easy to float and grow.

Fertilization is an important part of the comprehensive management of apple orchards. Fertilizers are divided into two categories: base fertilizer and top dressing. Base fertilizer should be applied after harvesting of mid- and late-maturing apple varieties until before leaf fall and dormancy. Applying basal fertilizer early is conducive to the accumulation of stored nutrients in the tree, early restoration of tree vigor and improvement of the tree's overwintering ability, and is also conducive to the recovery of root growth and flowering and fruiting in the second year. It is estimated that the organic matter content in pig manure and composting manure in my country is generally 10% to 20%. Approximately 500kg to 2,000kg of the above-mentioned base fertilizer needs to be applied to each mu (1 mu = 667 square meters) of apple orchard every year. In order to improve and extend the photosynthetic capacity of apple leaves in late autumn, an appropriate amount of fast-acting nitrogen fertilizers such as urea or sulfuric acid can be added to the base fertilizer. Phosphorus and potassium easily become insoluble in the soil or are fixed by the soil, reducing fertilizer efficiency. They are generally mixed into organic fertilizers and used as base fertilizers for deep application.

Top dressing is applied on the basis of sufficient base fertilizer. It is mainly used to timely supplement the nutrient needs of apples in each growth center period, and all quick-acting fertilizers are used. Generally, it is carried out 1 to 3 times a year. This includes several top dressings during the flowering and fruiting period, flower bud differentiation period and fruit expansion period. For example, if there is less basal fertilizer applied in autumn, the tree body has low storage nutrient level, the tree is weak, the flower buds are many but of poor quality, and the fruit is prone to excessive production, pre-flowering fertilizer should be applied, and quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer should be applied before budding. On the contrary, you don’t have to do it. For large-year-old trees that bear a large number of fruits, it is necessary to focus on the period of spring shoot cessation and the period of rapid fruit expansion in order to promote flower bud differentiation and increase the nutrient reserves of the tree. On the contrary, for young trees with few flowers, it is necessary to strengthen the budding and topdressing of nitrogen fertilizer before flowering to increase the fruit setting rate as much as possible and strengthen the vegetative growth of the current year, relatively reducing the number of flower buds formed in the current year. Top dressing during the flower bud differentiation period should use a combination of the three elements nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Top dressing during the fruit expansion stage should mainly use phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, which is beneficial to improving fruit quality. In addition, when the root absorption capacity is weak and the aboveground flowers and fruits are in urgent need of nutrients, or when the plant shows symptoms of nutrient deficiency, the method of topdressing the leaves outside the roots can also be applied. Generally, fertilizer can begin to be absorbed and utilized 2 hours after spraying.

The amount of top dressing is generally 0.1 to 0.25 kilograms of pure nitrogen per tree for arborized saplings throughout the year, and 0.25 to 0.5 kilograms for trees in the growth and fruiting period. Apply 0.5 kg to 1 kg to trees during the period, and the amount can be increased to 1.5 kg for trees with many fruits. The amount of phosphate fertilizer is calculated based on P2O5, and 0.3 kg to 0.5 kg is applied to the trees during the fruiting period. The dosage of potassium fertilizer is based on K2O as the calculation standard, and 0.5 kg to 1 kg is applied to the trees during the fruiting period. Adult fruit-bearing trees usually use yield to measure the dosage of the three elements, that is, every 100 kilograms of fruit requires 0.4 to 0.7 kilograms of pure nitrogen, 0.2 to 0.35 kilograms of phosphorus (P205), and potassium (K20). 0.4 kg ~ 0.7 kg. When making specific applications, the soil conditions of the garden, as well as differences in apple varieties and rootstocks, should also be considered. It must be pointed out that the yield-increasing effect of adding nitrogen fertilizer to nitrogen-deficient soil is very significant, but excessive nitrogen application will reduce the yield-increasing benefit. The common concentrations of extra-root top dressing are as follows: urea 0:3% to 0.5%, sulfuric acid 0.1% to 0.3%, superphosphate 1% to 3%, potassium sulfate or potassium chloride 0.3% ~0.5%, potassium dioxyphosphate 0.5% ~ 1%, borax 0. 1% ~ 0.3%, zinc sulfate 3% ~ 5%, ferrous sulfate 0.3% ~ 0.4%, calcium nitrate 0.3% ~ 0.5%.

Irrigation in apple orchards is usually combined with top dressing or based on climate conditions. In case of drought, water should be provided in time. Apple trees are not intolerant to waterlogging, so pay attention to drainage and waterlogging prevention during months of heavy rainfall to prevent waterlogging.

2. Flower and fruit management

(1) Techniques for promoting flowering of young trees: In addition to the aforementioned spring bud carving, summer girdling and autumn branch pulling, growth regulators can also be used to promote flowering of trees with normal growth or vigorous growth. In the early, middle and autumn growth stages of new shoot growth, spray 0.15% to 0.2% concentration of Bijiu or 0. Ethephon at a concentration of 1% to 0.2% 2 to 3 times can effectively inhibit growth and promote flowering.

If Bijiu and ethephon are mixed or sprayed alternately, the effect will be better. In addition, before and after leaf fall in autumn and before budding in early spring of the next year, soil application of paclobutrazol at a rate of 0.5 to 0.75 g/m2 based on the projected area of ??the tree crown (referring to the active ingredient, equivalent to 15% paclobutrazol wettable powder 3 . 3g/m2 ~ 5g/m2), apply evenly and turn it into the tree tray, or dig a ring under the outer line of the tree crown and apply it with water, which also has a good effect on promoting flowers. You can also spray paclobutrazol solution with a concentration of 0.1% to 0.15% on the leaves when the new shoots begin to grow vigorously, which is also effective in promoting flowering. At the same time, work should be done to protect leaves and roots in autumn. Good vegetative growth is the basis for promoting flowering and early fruiting.

(2) Improve the fruit setting rate: In years with poor climate and few flowers, artificial pollination or bee release at the early stage of apple flowering can ensure fruit setting. For trees with many flowers or in years with many flowers, re-pruning is carried out when the flower buds swell and bloom, including removing weak ones and leaving strong ones, blocking flowers on clusters of flower branches, shrinking short fruit clusters, and thinning flower buds. This can not only improve The fruit setting rate and fruit enlargement are also beneficial to the formation of flower buds on the fruit branches, so it is also an effective measure to overcome the big and small years. Boron spraying during the flowering period in boron-deficient orchards has a significant effect on improving fruit setting rate.

(3) Flower and fruit thinning: From the early to the end of full bloom, thin out excess inflorescences and flowers as required, and thin out excess young fruits 1 to 4 weeks after flowering. , which is a necessary measure to prevent or overcome apple-sized annual results. According to the leaf-to-fruit ratio standard, the general control is (30-40): 1; according to the branch-to-fruit ratio (vegetative branch/fruiting branch) standard, the Marshal series is (3-4): 1; Golden Delicious is 3:1, and Guoguang is (2 ~3):1. The proportion of weak trees should be increased appropriately. In general production, one inflorescence will bear fruit for every 6 to 7 inflorescences, which can basically achieve the standard leaf-to-fruit ratio of (30-40):1. In order to improve the thinning efficiency, taking advantage of the irregularity of apple flowering, that is, the central flower that blooms first has been pollinated and fertilized, while the side flowers and eye buds bloom later, use Baume 0.5 to 1 degree lime sulfur mixture in the Chemical flower thinning is carried out in the late blooming period. After testing, it can be promoted and used in production.

(4) Prevent fruit drop before harvest: Some apple varieties, such as Marshal, Hongxing, Hongyu, Fengyan, Tsugaru, etc., have serious fruit drop before harvest. Use tea acetic acid or sodium acetophile at 100 ppm. A solution with a concentration of 20 to 40 parts per million (20PPm~40PPm) can effectively reduce fruit drop by spraying the fruit clusters 1 to 2 times 30 to 40 days and 20 days before harvesting.

(5) Prevent fruit rust and fruit cracking: Fruit rust of Golden Delicious apples is an important factor affecting the commercial value of the fruit. It mainly occurs within 1 month after flowering, rainfall, high relative humidity and spraying Bordeaux. Liquid will intensify the formation of fruit rust. Although the anti-rust effect of bagging is good, it is difficult to apply it to large areas. Use other chemicals instead of Bordeaux mixture within 1 month after flowers fade to prevent disease, which can reduce the formation of fruit rust. In addition, strong trees can also reduce the occurrence of fruit rust. Fruit cracking is a common phenomenon among Guoguang apple varieties in Huaibei region, which reduces the commercial value of the fruit. Calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution with a concentration of 0.5% to 1% can be sprayed 1 to 2 times 1 to 3 weeks before fruit harvesting, which has a significant effect on preventing fruit cracking. In addition, varieties with light fruit cracking such as Fuji can be chosen to replace Kuokumitsu. Main pests and diseases and their control 1. The main diseases include apple rot, apple anthracnose, apple ring spot and early apple defoliation. In recent years, apple dry rot and apple aphid have also occurred seriously in some areas.

(1) Apple rot: It is a devastating disease on apples in Huaibei region. It mainly occurs on the trunks and large branches of fruit-bearing trees, and also damages twigs and saplings. The vigor of diseased plants is severely weakened, resulting in a large number of dead branches and dead trees. There are two types of symptoms: ulcer type and branch blight type. Diseased branches, diseased skin and diseased dead twigs are the sources of infection of the disease. Prevention and control methods: Strengthen fertilization management, control the amount of fruit, enhance tree vigor, and improve the tree's resistance to rot diseases. Check the orchard frequently and scrape the diseased spots thoroughly as soon as possible. After scraping, apply 50-100 times of 40% Thiram or 2-5 times of Fu Biqing emulsion for 2-3 times continuously. Spray thiram 80 to 100 times before germination in spring to prevent the disease. Removed diseased branches and skin should be burned immediately to prevent infection. Severely damaged plants can be restored to growth using bridging or foot grafting methods.

(2) Apple anthracnose; the disease is serious in areas or years with high temperature and rain, and mainly damages fruits, causing rot and massive fruit drop. The fungus overwinters on diseased fruits, small dead fruits and diseased dead branches, and forms conidia the following year and is spread by wind and rain. Prevention and control methods: Combined with winter pruning, completely remove diseased fruits and dead branches. When budding, spray the whole tree with 50 times dichloronaphthoquinone solution or 100 times solution of thiram to eradicate it. During the growth period, alternately spray 1: (2-3): 200 times Bordeaux liquid and 50% sterilizing agent 600-800 times to protect the fruits. Avoid using black locust tree species in orchard protective forests.

(3) Apple ring disease: It mainly damages branches and fruits. In severe cases, it can weaken the tree vigor and cause fruit drop. It has the characteristics of latent infection. After the fruit is infected, the disease usually occurs in the near maturity period and early storage period. The disease is more severe in rainy areas and rainy years. Among apple varieties, Fuji suffered the most damage, followed by Golden Delicious. During the growing season, the spores are spread by wind and rain. Prevention and control methods: Strengthen cultivation and management, enhance tree vigor, and improve tree disease resistance. During the dormant period, thoroughly scrape off the disease spots and old skin on the branches, and spray 40% thiramil 100 times solution once to prevent and control rot (plus 2% thiamine to promote the penetration of the solution) to eradicate overwintering pathogens.

To protect the fruit during the growth period, spray 50% Captanil 500 times in the early stage. In the later stage, you can use 1: (2-3): 200 times Bordeaux mixture, or 75% chlorothalonil 800-1000 times the solution.

(4) Early apple leaf falling disease: It is a general term for several diseases on apple leaves. Among them, two types that cause severe defoliation are brown spot and spotted defoliation (caused by virulent strains of Verticillium leaf spot). Brown spot disease mainly damages adult leaves, and is serious in Golden Delicious and Ruby varieties. Spotted leaf disease mainly infects young leaves, with two peaks occurring in the spring and autumn shoots. Marshal varieties are seriously affected. The pathogens overwinter on diseased leaves and are later spread by rain splash. Prevention and control methods: Clean the garden during the dormant period and remove fallen leaves and burn them. Spray during the growth period to protect the leaves. Brown spot disease can be controlled with 800-1000 times of 50% carbendazim or 50% thiophanate-methyl. Bordeaux mixture of 1: (2-3): 240 times can also be used for control. The control effect of carbendazim or thiophanate-methyl on ring spot is not good. You can use 50% Park Hydantoin (iprodione) 1500 to 2000 times solution or 10% Polyoxymycin 1200 times solution and 240 times Bordeaux solution. Alternate spraying for control.

2. The main pests include spider mites, apple spider mites, peach heartworms, pear heartworms and apple alley leaf moths.

(1) Spider mite: red spider. The fertilized female mites of mountain plant spider mites overwinter in the soil cracks near the bark of tree trunks, branches and root necks. They emerge from the buds of apple blossoms in the second spring and cause damage. Apple spider mites overwinter as eggs on fruit stands and branch whorl marks. When the inflorescences of Guoguang varieties are stretched out, the overwintering eggs have basically completed hatching. Spider mites reproduce quickly and can produce many generations in a year. In severe cases, they can cause leaf chlorosis, browning and falling off. Control methods: Spray Baume 0.5 degree stone flow mixture before flowers bloom, or 20% dicofol (mixed with 40% omethoate) 1000 times, and spray again after flowers fade. Before wheat harvest, if the density of insect population is high, you can spray 20% methacinide emulsion 3000 times, or 20% mite mite emulsion or 10% Keshengmanjing 2000-3000 times. In addition, according to their overwintering characteristics, hawthorn spider mites can be trapped and killed by weeding on tree trunks in autumn, and apple spider mites can be sprayed with 5% heavy diesel emulsion to kill their eggs before germination.

(2) Peach heartworm: referred to as peach heartworm, its larvae damage fruits, causing them to be deformed, fall off, or become inedible. There are 2 to 3 generations a year in Huaibei area. The mature larvae make oblate winter cocoons under the top soil of tree crowns or in fruit piles to overwinter. The larvae are unearthed after the rain in early summer of the next year and make oblong cocoons under soft topsoil or stones. Summer cocoons pupate. Adults emerge and lay eggs in 10 to 12 days. Prevention and control methods: Do a good job in forecasting and spraying on the ground to kill overwintering larvae when they emerge in concentrated concentrations. The agent can be 450 times of 50% diyanon emulsion or 200 times of 50% phoxim emulsion, and sprayed 2 to 3 times continuously at intervals of 10 to 15 days. During the adult emergence period, use Taoxiaoxin penetration cards to predict the peak period, or when the egg and fruit detection rate in the field reaches 0.5% to 1%, spray 30% Taoxiaoling emulsion 2000-2500 ml, or 2.5% Australian cyanide 2,500 times solution of pyrethrin (dimethrin), or 2,000 times solution of 10% cypermethrin. And remove the wormy fruits promptly.

(3) Pear heartworm: referred to as pear heartworm, it occurs in 4 to 5 generations a year in Huaibei area. The mature larvae mainly overwinter by forming cocoons in the cracks of the branches and trunks. The 1st to 3rd generation larvae damage peach and apple tips, and the 4th to 5th generation larvae damage apple or pear fruits. Prevention and control methods: Completely cut off the infected peach shoots in the early stage, and hang sweet and sour pots on the trees to trap the adults. After entering July, use pear penetrating cards in the apple orchard to predict the peak period of adult moths. Within 3 to 5 days after that, spray fenitrothion, trichlorfon, cyclofenac and other pesticides. In autumn, bunchweed grows on tree trunks to trap and kill overwintering larvae.

(4) Apple leaf roller occurs in 4 generations a year in Huaibei area. The first instar larvae overwinter by forming cocoons in the cracks of tree bark and saw cuts. In the following spring, the silkworms spin silk to decorate the leaves or flowers, damaging the leaves and eating the peels. Prevention and control methods: scrape off old bark and burn it during the dormant period. When the larvae are about to emerge from hibernation, use 50% trichlorfon solution 200-250 times to seal the cutting edge to reduce the source of insects. During the adult emergence period, hang sugar cheese jars in apple orchards to trap and kill them. The ratio of sweet and sour liquid is 1 part sugar, 3 parts vinegar and 10 parts water. During the first generation of larvae, spray 50% fenitrothion or 50% dichlorvos 1,000 times, or spray various pyrethroid pesticides 2,000 to 4,000 times.

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Reference materials: [Source]? (Extracted from "Practical Gardening Handbook" edited by Wu Zhixing)