SUMMARY

Summary

Summary

Apple (Malus domestica) belongs to family Rosaceae and subfamily Pomoidae. The genus (Mallis Mill) has 15 primary species? including two from Europe? four from North America? and the rest from Asia (Westwood? 1993).

The increase in ethylene production usually coincide with the climateric rise following a typical? although somewhat subdue catalytic trend that paralleled rise in respiration in evaluation made in tissues of ripening 'Fuji' apple fruit.

In the Lebanon? apples are primarily sold in fresh market. So? intense management? irrigation? proper insect and disease control? timely harvest? and proper marketing are all necessary to make fruit production profitable. Most commercially produced apple cultivars require winter chilling between 1000-1600 hours (Westwood? 1993). The absence of cool nights in some parts? during the fall ripening period cause apples to ripen early and develop poorred color.

In commercial orchard management? production efficiency is an objective worthy of the highest priority. The growth of unproductive wood adds to the cost of production and. at the same time? reduces the volume of saleable product. Overwhelming evidence indicates that the dominant factor in the apportionment of the dry matter produced by the leaves is the rootstock and the scion cultivar.

Apple cultivars? on the other hand? are known to differ widely in vigor? precocity and productivity? which can influence the interpretation of rootstock effects. Spur-type strains of apple is characterized as their morecompact growth form and associated upright branch habit? compared to the more-open canopy form of standard strains. Spurtype (compact mutants) of apple trees? furthermore? bear fewer? shorter? thicker? and more erect laterals which result in more compact trees? as well as produce more leaves and fruiting spurs per unit length of lateral.

In the apple industry? yield and fruit quality is the main concern of the consumer. The harvest date at the proper ripening stage ...