SUMMARY

The region of Eastern Serbia is characterized, among others, by scarse precipitations, thus limiting intensive apple fruit production. That is why the trialis on apple trees watering have been carried out. The investigations were performed in the trial platation in the period of time from 1998 to 2000. The plantation was formed on flat soil of smonitza type in 1994. Eight modern cultivars of apple trees, being grafted first on the substratum EM-9 and pricked at the distance of 4x1.5 m were involved in the ivestigation.

Depending on the precipitations, especially from June to August, during the first year four waterings were carried out, while in the following year, there was only one watering, and in the last year seven waterings were performed. The watering was done by using the drop by drop system while the pre-watering humidity was 75% PVK. The watering effects were compared with the control non-watered apple tres.

Comared to the control, the fruits of the watered apple tres were averagely longer for 12,8% (6.1-17,9%) and wider for 13,95% (10,7-16,1%). The fruit mass was averagely greater for 22,6% (15.5-28.4%). The average yield per a tree was 12,1 kg and trom the control apple trees it was 8,9 kg which was an increase for 26,4% (21,7-39,6%).

The portion of extra and first-class quality fruits was averagely greater than the control for 47,1% (11.2-88.0%), that is for 17,7% (7.7-27.4%). On the other hand, the fruits of the second and third class quality were most numerous on the control apple tress for 63.8% (47.4-68.7%), that is for 60,3% (49.4-65.7%). By watering,the content of total acids was increased in theapple fruits for 14.0% (10.6-20.7%) while the dry matters content was decreased for 6,4% (3.3-7.2%) and the total sugart for 7.7% (6.3-9.8%).