The Effects of Benzyladenine Applications on Branching of ‘Mondial Gala’ Apple Nursery Trees on MM.106 in the First Year Growth

Özet

Mondial Gala apples grafted on MM.106 rootstocks develop vigorous nursery trees with only a fewpoorly distributed long laterals, which is undesirable for early fruiting. Nursery trees of Mondial Gala / MM.106were sprayed with 0, 200 or 400 mg l–1 of 6-benzyladenine (BA) in order to improve lateral shoot formation. BAspraying began in mid-June when the growing scion shoots were 60–65 cm above the bud union, and activelygrowing scion shoots with leaves were sprayed 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 times at 3-day interval. The BA treatmentssignificantly increased the total number and total length of laterals per tree compared with the untreated trees. Theaverage length and diameters of laterals were also affected by the BA treatments. BA treated trees had significantlywider crotch angles. Two or three sprays of 200 mg l–1 BA seemed sufficient to form at least four vigorous laterals(30–50 cm) and two medium growth laterals (10–30 cm) with wider crotch angles.Keywords: Mondial Gala, MM.106, branching, 6-benzyladenine, apple.