Limiting brown rot incidence in peach with tree training and pruning

Abstract

Introduction. To limit peach brown rot incidence in a mid-season peach orchard cv. ‘Conquise’, three combinations of tree training and pruning treatments were assessed: open vase training with conventional pruning (Control); open vase with centrifugal pruning (CentP); vertical axis training with centrifugal pruning (Axis). Materials and methods. The test orchard was divided into four blocks, each with the three tree management treatments in a randomized complete block design. Brown rot incidence as well as fruit production and quality were assessed over five successive years. Results and discussion. The lowest brown rot incidence values were detected under Axis and the highest under Control, with values for CentP being intermediate. The reduced incidences under CentP and Axis training were observed around two weeks before fruit maturity and were maintained until post-harvest storage. Compared to the Control, CentP and Axis resulted in higher trunk cross sectional areas, yields and monetary returns. CentP and Axis also tended to enhance peach internal quality, i . e ., increase of total soluble solids, but work time devoted to pruning and thinning under CentP and Axis was greater than for the Control. Conclusion. Appropriate tree management, a vertical axis training system and centrifugal pruning, appears to decrease peach disease sensitivity. This could result in reduced use of pesticide sprays for brown rot control.