Apple

The leaves, being deciduous, are essential in the apple tree's life cycle, indicating the period of dormancy in winter. In traditional herbal medicine, apple leaf tea is sometimes used due to its astringent properties. Leaf management and pruning are crucial for light penetration and the quality of fruiting in the following year.

The apple tree trunk is formed by dense, durable wood, capable of supporting the weight of the fruit even during phases of high production. The plant has vegetative buds and floral buds, which differentiate along the stem and directly influence fruiting. The management of the stem and branches — such as training pruning and production pruning — is essential to balance vegetative growth and productivity.

The root system of the adult apple tree is superficial and fibrous, but the use of specific rootstocks is fundamental in modern fruit growing. The rootstock influences the vigor of the apple tree (dwarf, semi-dwarf, or vigorous size) and its absorption capacity in different soil types. The main function of the root is to anchor the plant to the soil and ensure the accumulation of reserves for the next growing season.

Apple seeds are rich in lipids and phenolic compounds, protected by a resistant seed coat. Since they result from cross-pollination (high heterozygosity), plants originating from seeds generate individuals very different from the mother plant. Therefore, commercial apple production uses clonal rootstocks, ensuring uniformity of size, vigor, and disease resistance, while seeds are used almost exclusively for genetic research.

Flowering typically occurs between August and October in Southern Brazil (where production is concentrated) and is sensitive to late frosts. The dependence on cross-pollination by insects (bees) is high; the quality of the bloom directly impacts the number and size of the fruits. The central flower of the cluster (king bloom) generally gives rise to the best caliber fruit, and the excess flowers are removed in the thinning process.