Development of the Apple Industry and Quality Measure Improvements in Yunnan

摘要

Yunnan province is one of the famous quality apple production areas in China. Because of the location on a low latitude plateau, fruit color is beautiful and maturity is earlier than other areas in China. The taste is sweet and crisp and the quality is very good. In 2011, the apple cultivation area was about 36,000 ha and the total output was about 275,000 MT. Production areas are located at latitude of 25-27°N and longitude of 100-104°E. Production areas are distributed in the mid-levels regions of the mountain, between 1,900 and 2,300 m in elevation. Analysis of the quality of 'Red Fuji' apple for 4 years and the present situation for sustainable orchard management based on four key measures was put forward. These measures are: the integration of soil improvement and water saving technology; the transformation of the apple trees with high photosynthetic efficiency; the technology of close planting with dwarf rootstock; the establishment of improved fruit production (IFP). These measures would provide technical assurance for the reformation for old orchards and overall promotion of improved yields.