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Introduction

Apple is a temperate fruit grown at a height of 7000-9000 feet. In India apple based industries form the backbone of the economy of the two major producing states of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. India at present however, has a very minimal share in the total world apple production.

 

Apple is harvested during July-Sept in Uttar Pradesh and during July-Nov in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

Apple varieties fall into two categories: diploids and tripolids. Diploids have plenty of good pollen and are self-fruitful. Triploids are self-unfruitful and become productive only when pollinated by using suitable pollenizer varieties. Even self-fruitful varieties have to be interplanted to get commercial crops through cross-pollination. Varieties selected for interplating should sufficiently overlap in their blossoming periods. Some of the important varieties in various states are listed below: Himachal Pradesh: `Red Delicious’, `Golden Delicious’, `Worester Pearmain’, `Newton Wonder’ (all diploids), `Cox’s Orange Pippin’ (triploid), `King of Pippins’ (No. 13), `Starking (Royal) Delicious’ and `Richard’. Kashmir Valley: `Red Delicious’ (diploid), `Baldwin’ (triploid) `Ambri Kashmiri’, `White Dotted Red’ and `Blood Red’. Simla Hills: `Beauty of Bath’ (triploid), Red Delicious’, `Jonathan’, `Rome Beauty’ (all diploids), `Early Shanburry’, `Red Astrachan’, `Red Sudeley’, `Stayman Winesap’, `Winter Banana’ and `Yellow Newton’. Kumaon Hills: `James Grieve’, `Jonathan’, `Rome Beauty’ (all diploids), `Blenheim Orange Pippin’, `Delicious’, `Early Shanburry’, `Golden Pippin’, `King of Pippins’, `Rymer’ and `Winter Banana’. Kulu Valley: `Ben Davis’, `Red Delicious’, `Golden Delicious’, (all diploids), `Cox’s Orange Tippin’, `Blenheim Orange’, `Baldwin’ (all triploids), `Red Astrachan’, `King of Pippins’ `Yellow Newton’ and `Granny Smith’. Nilgiri: `Rome Beauty’ (diploid) and `Irish Peach’.