ABSTRACT:

The influence of fruit thinning intensity on the yield and fruit quality of Apple cultivars was conducted at Kalam Summer Station (KSS), Swat, during the year 2023-24. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with split-plot arrangements, replicated three times. Apple cultivars (Royal Gala, Gala Must, and Jonica) were assigned to the main plot, and fruit thinning intensity (control, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) was restricted to the subplots. The experimental results clarified that fruit thinning at 40% significantly increased the total soluble solids (11.74° Brix), ascorbic acid (10.48 mg/100 mL), reducing sugar (7.54%), and non-reducing sugar (4.29%) in apple fruits compared to the control. In contrast, it significantly decreased the titrable acidity (0.51%) and yield per plant (44.33 kg) compared with the control. Despite apple cultivars, there is a significant effect on all the parameters except non-reducing sugar. The cultivar Royal Gala had maximum TSS (10.41 ^°Brix), reducing sugar (7.49%), non-reducing sugar (4.35%), and yield plant^–1 (95.6 kg) with minimum ascorbic acid contents (9.67%). The maximum titrable acidity (0.65%) and ascorbic acid content (11.24 mg/100mL) were observed in cultivar Jonica, which had a minimum TSS (10.96° Brix), reducing sugar (5.97%), and yield per plant (72.86 kg). Among the cultivars, the Gala Must had no maximum values in any attribute while having minimum titrable acidity (0.58%). The interaction between thinning intensity and cultivars significantly affected all parameters except titrable acidity and the levels of reducing and non-reducing sugars in apple fruits. The experiment concluded that thinning at a rate of 40% significantly increased TSS, ascorbic acid, reducing and non-reducing sugars, while decreasing titrable acidity and yield per plant. It is recommended that thinning intensity at the rate of 40% in cultivars Royal Gala and Jonica could be applied to obtain quality fruit production of the apple.

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