The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of crop load on yield, fruit size, vegetative growth and return to bloom of low-chill apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.), cv. ‘Princesa’. During 2009 and 2010 crop load was manually adjusted from 1 to 9 fruits per unit of trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA). Fruit yield was positively related tocrop load, but mean fruit weight decreased with increasing crop load. The proportion of small and middle-sized fruits increased with rising crop load reaching 10% and 35% respectively of the total yield at the highest crop load. However the proportion of large-sized fruits did not change with the increase in crop load. Shoot length at 60 days after harvest was negatively related to crop load whereas return to bloom was not affected. These results demonstrates that the optimum crop load for ‘Princesa’ apple ranges between 5 to 9 fruits per unit of TCSA.
Malus domestica ; hand thinning; trunk cross-sectional area; fruit quality; vegetative growth
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