In recent years, apple production in fruit growing has been intensified in order to achieve
larger and higher quality yields and a consistent annual yield, thereby increasing
profitability. The aim is to produce large and consistent harvests of first-class quality,
which not only have an attractive appearance but also good internal quality. The quality
of the apples is crucial for sales success and depends on several factors, including
internal and external quality. Lower quality leads to lower prices, as the fruit is less
attractive to consumers. It is assumed that the biostimulant Amicel root (3 % Cu)
influences the redistribution of photoassimilates to the lateral buds, resulting in more
uniform growth of the fruit. In 2022, we tested the effect of the biostimulant Amicel
root on apple trees of the cultivars 'Topaz' and 'Opal' at the Horticultural Center of the
Biotechnical Faculty in Orehovlje. The year 2022 was extremely dry, with very little
rainfall and high air temperatures. In the 'Opal' cultivar, the use of Amicel root led to an
increase in the number of fruits per tree, the yield per tree and per hectare as well as a
larger fruit width and weight. The fruits were also riper, as they had a lower firmness,
higher soluble solids content and less starch. In the 'Topaz' cultivar, the application of
Amicel root resulted in a higher number of I. quality fruits per tree, a higher yield per
tree and per hectare, and larger fruit dimensions (greater height, width and mass). The
fruits also had higher flesh firmness and contained more starch and less soluble solids,
indicating that they were less ripe than the control fruits.
|
