Operational Group: Improving the fruit setting process in apple trees to increase production on farms

This Task Force aims to improve the fruit setting process in cider apple production to ensure high production.

This process is affected by flowering development conditions, hormonal regulation, weather conditions during the process, the vigor of the fruiting branch, pests, and the plant's nutritional status.

The initiative focuses on testing additives for apple trees, which primarily influence their nutritional status to ensure fruit set, good fruit growth, and outstanding processing quality.

The following will be determined: the quantity and proportion of phosphorus and nitrogen adjusted for the fruit without negatively affecting its growth; the dose of potassium, which with higher than optimal foliar concentrations improves fruit size without compromising its quality; the role of magnesium, which is responsible for the partitioning of photoassimilates that must reach the fruit to fatten it; the contribution of boron to improve fruit set and reduce premature fruit drop and improve apple quality; and the fractionation of fertilization to develop fruit size in shifts of specific contributions.