Early results of tree training system on production of two apple cultivars

Abstract

A field planting of 'Daybreak Fuji'/M.9 NAKB T337 and 'Rubinstar Jonagold'/B.9 was established in 2008 to evaluate 4 training systems: tall spindle (TS), vertical axis (A), tall trellis (TT) and minimally pruned (MP). Training system influenced the number of flowers and flowering density in the second and third growing seasons. At the end of the 6th growing season there was no influence of training system on tree size for 'Jonagold' (JG), while 'Fuji' (DF) TT trees were the smallest of the 4 systems. Total cumulative yield for both cultivars was greatest for trees trained to the MP system. Total cumulative yield for 'Fuji' was lowest for trees trained to the TT system. Cumulative efficiency for 'Jonagold' was significantly better for the trees in the TT and MP than trees in the TS system. There was no significant difference in cumulative efficiency for 'Fuji' trees in any system. Total number of fruit tree-1 was higher for MP trees resulting in lower fruit weight. Labor requirements, man h ha-1, were consistently higher for the TT system largely due to summer pruning; while it was consistently lower for the MP system. Light intensity in the lower canopy in 2012 was not influenced by training system for JG but was for DF.