Performance of mondial gala apple cultivars grafted on m9 apple rootstock in the Mediterranean region of Turkey

Aims: This research was carried out on eight-year-old trees of the Mondial Gala (Malus domestica Borkh) cultivars grafted on the M9 rootstock in order to determine its performance in the Mediterranean region with subtropical climatic conditions in Mersin, Turkey. Methods and Results: In the study, the experiment was conducted in the orchard of private sector at Erdemli/Mersin. Mondial Gala which eight years, planted with planting spaces of 1x3 m flowering times, yield and fruit quality parameters were investigated. Conclusions: According to the results, first flowering was observed on April 1, full flowering on April 10 and end of flowering on April 17, and fruits were harvested at the end of July. The fruit weight (average 223.2 g), the yield per tree (average 22.6 kg), and yield per trunk cross-sectional area was observed as 0.56 kg/cm2 at the end of the eighth year. Observed values indicated that Mondial Gala summer apple cultivars were found to be promising for early apple growing in the higher parts of subtropical ecological conditions of Turkey. Significance and Impact of the Study: Phenological and pomological features of ‘Mondial Gala’ apple cultivar were evaluated at high altitudes of Mersin with subtropical climates of Turkey