Variety traits

Self-fertility of apple

Malus Mill.

The ability of an apple cultivar to set fruit when pollinated with its own pollen. This trait is evaluated by the percentage of fruit set from the total number of flowers following artificial self-pollination.

In the reference 39 varieties crop Apple, where this is mentioned in the description.

To assess the degree of apple self-fertility, the method of flower isolation is used, followed by the application of self-pollen and the counting of formed ovaries. The indicator is expressed as a percentage of fruit set, and measurements must be carried out over at least three seasons due to the high dependence of the trait on meteorological conditions.

In fruit growing, it is customary to distinguish self-sterile cultivars with a fruit set rate of 0 to 4 percent, which includes the vast majority of apple cultivars. Partially self-fertile forms show intermediate values, while potentially self-fertile cultivars reach 15–40 percent.

Despite the existence of cultivars exhibiting partial self-fertility, cross-pollination is required to ensure high and stable yields in commercial and amateur apple orchards. The use of several pollinizer cultivars that overlap in flowering periods is an agrotechnical standard.

General information about the subject — on the page Self-fertility.

Sources4

Varieties of Apple mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.