-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 C7R49K+w1j6qGmLobZFjNwsJQp08WbYMfl/+XarUk6SIYAxojL4Gy2hP1qOAxLVH
 Pf+j3IkTMRWan0doyJH0mQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000077551-03-000021.txt : 20030715
<SEC-HEADER>0000077551-03-000021.hdr.sgml : 20030715
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030715154821
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000077551-03-000021
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030711
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030715

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			WHITE TONY L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001171315

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-04389
		FILM NUMBER:		03787303

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O APPLERA CORP
		STREET 2:		301 MERRITT 7, PO BOX 5435
		CITY:			NORWALK
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06856-5435

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			APPLERA CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000077551
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	LABORATORY ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS [3826]
		IRS NUMBER:				061534213
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0630

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		301 MERRITT 7
		CITY:			NORWALK
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06851
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2038402000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		301 MERRITT 7
		CITY:			NORWALK
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06851

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	PE CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19990129

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	PERKIN ELMER CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19930601
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-11</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000077551</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>APPLERA CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ABI/CRA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001171315</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WHITE TONY L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman, President and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15780</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>19.695</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>492427.0265</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOw
nership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15780</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>19.695</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>476647.0265</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><der
ivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Applied Biosystems Group Series FY03-3 Performance Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-03-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlying
SecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Represents settlement of Performance Units for cash as described in footnote 3 below.  Price listed is the fair market value of Applera Corporation - Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock (&amp;quot;ABI Stock&amp;quot;) on the settlement date.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The Performance Units provide for payment upon ABI Stock attaining price targets of $18.54 and $22.29 per share for a specified period and are payable over a minimum of eight quarters, subject to continued employment and an aggregate program expense cap.  Units are payable in cash or ABI Stock equal to $15.54 for each Performance Unit.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Rep
resents the payment of 20,000 Performance Units upon attainment of $18.54 price target described in footnote 2 above.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Thomas P. Livingston, Attorney-In-Fact for Tony L. White</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----