Quantitative evaluation of apple (Malus × domestica borkh) yield based on morphological characterizations

The fruit, that’s consumed the most worldwide, is apple. In this study, morphological features have been used to try and predict the apple production. The choice of the significant factors was made using principal components analysis. An optimum sample size of 200 apple trees was selected randomly in farmers’ fields and observations were recorded on various characters viz yield per tree (Y), plant girth (X₂), plant spread (X₃), number of leaves per branch (X₄), annual shoot extension growth (X₅), number of flowers per branch (X₆), number of fruits per branch (X₇), fruit weight (X₈), fruit set (X₉) and LD ratio (X₁₀). The discriminate function was used for categorizing the trees as high and low yielders. It was found that plant spread (X₃), number of leaves per branch (X₄) and number of flowers per branch (X₆) were the most important characters that discriminate the groups. The explanatory advances knowledge of the intricate connections between crop output and morphological features.