Phenology of apple cv. 'Condessa' in the São Francisco Valley

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize phenological and productive apple trees cv. Countess, provided semiarid tropical São Francisco Valley, Northeast Brazil. The experiment was conducted from August 2008 to December 2009 in the experimental orchard at the Experimental Station of Embrapa Semiarid Trough, in Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil. Observations were made daily, the dormant bud stage until fruit ripening and evaluated the following production parameters: I) fruit set: the relationship between number of flowers and fruits (%), II) the number of fruits per plant; III) production of fruits per plant(kg) and iv) productivity (t / ha). The phenological cycle of apple tree cv. Countess lasted 132 and 130 days, the fruit set obtained was 4.0 and 5.0%, number of fruits per plant by 22.1 and 27.6, yield per plant of 2.5 and 3.9 kg and productivity of 3.2 and 4.9 t/ha, respectively for 2008 and 2009. Based on the results we found the possibility of apple fruit production in tropical semiarid conditions.