Effects of Silvicultural Management on Apple Cultivars Fruit Yield and Tree Quality in the Kigezi Highlands, South Western Uganda

Abstract

Apple growing was introduced in the Kigezi highlands to alleviate rural household poverty. The initiative was supported by the Ugandan government to transform subsistence farming into agro-enterprises of high-value crops. The Kigezi highlands, with a semi-temperate climate, have the potential to produce apples. However, the yield of the apple cultivars is unknown making it difficult to promote apple cultivation to the farmers. The need to maximize apple yield motivated this study, which assessed the performance of apple cultivars in relation to management practises. Data were collected from 58 ten-year old on-station and farmers’ orchards. Twenty apple trees per orchard were selected, and the yield was determined. Results revealed that fruit yields were higher in apple trees that were 30% pruned and defoliated 10 days, bent and staked after one year, and the fruits were thinned. It is recommend that farmers should adopt 30% lowest and 40% highest pruning intensity in order to achieve optimum yield, defoliate apple trees 30 days before the onset of rains to kindle budding, leaf flush and flowering. In addition, farmers should follow the standard fruit thinning regime to avoid fruit abortion and attract fruit flies that cause losses. They should also adopt appropriate soil amendments based on the type and properties of the soil.