Comparative evaluation of productivity of autumn and late-autumn apple varieties cultivated at V. M. Krutovsky Botanical Garden

In this research, we investigate the productivity of apple-tree varieties grown in the weather and climatic conditions of Siberia. The research objects were the apple varieties of domestic and foreign origin cultivated at the collection site of V. M. Krutovsky Botanical Garden (Krasnoyarsk, Russia), including Antonovka Zheltaya, Arkad Zimnij, Bellefleur-Kitayka, Bismarck, General Orlov, Pepin-Kitayka, Pepin Shafrannyj, and Slavyanka . The varieties under study are characterized by different periods of initiation of fruit bearing (3–7 year after planting) and late fruit maturity (September–October), which is important for apple tree cultivation in regions with a continental climate. The research was conducted from 2019 to 2023. The studied apple varieties showed high adaptability to weather conditions. During the research period, their productivity parameters differed by 1.5–1.7 times. In comparison with other varieties, Bismarck and General Orlov showed the greatest variability. Bellefleur-Kitayka and Slavyanka varieties demonstrated the highest stability in productivity parameters. Antonovka Zheltaya, Arkad Zimnij, Bismarck, General Orlov, Pepin-Kitayka, Slavyanka , and Pepin Shafrannyj had the highest number of fruits per one plant. In terms of the number of fruits per 1 m2 of crown, Arkad Zimnij and Bismarck stood out.