Conversion of Central Leader Apple Trees for Improved Mechanical Harvest1

Abstract

Abstract Eight-year-old, semi-standard ‘McIntosh’ apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh.) were converted from central leader trees to open center trees by removal of the central leader. The productivity of the converted trees was not reduced in the first year due to better fruit set and size, and flowering and yield of the open center and central leader trees were similar in the second year. Open center trees resulted in less damage to the fruit during mechanical harvest, primarily due to reduction in fruit zone height.