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Flowering spurs located at interior and exterior canopy positions of `Stay-man' and `Delicious' apple (Malus domestics Borkh.) trees were girdled and/or defoliated to determine the influence on nectar production and composition. Nectar volume was less at exterior than interior canopy positions for `Delicious', but not for `Stayman'. Girdling suppressed nectar production by 92% and reduced the sugar concentration of the remaining nectar. Defoliation of nongirdled spurs had no effect on nectar sugar concentration, but defoliation of girdled spurs reduced nectar sugar concentration by 24%. Relative percentages of sucrose, glucose, and fructose, and the sucrose: hexose ratio were unaffected by any treatment. Nectar production of nongirdled spurs did not depend on the presence of spur leaves.
Abstract
‘Delicious’ apple flowers (Malus domestica Borkh.) set very few fruit after receiving single visits from honey bees (Apis meilifera L.) that foraged for nectar while standing on the flower petals. Yield from these flowers was similar to the yield from unpollinated blossoms. Much higher sets were observed in blossoms that were hand-pollinated, and on flowers visited only once by pollen-foraging or nectar-foraging bees that worked from on top of the stamens. Final yields from the latter 3 treatments were very similar, though generally lower than would be commercially desirable.