Growth Of Cherry Trees Research Articles

Soil biota from newly established orchards are more beneficial to early growth of cherry trees than biota from older orchards

Growth of young fruit trees replanted into old orchard soil is often poor relative to growth in soil that has not previously been planted with fruit trees. There is evidence that a consortium of deleterious soil biota, commonly referred to as the replant disease complex, are responsible for this poor early growth. We used a bioassay, comparing cherry plant growth in sterilized and non-sterilized subsamples of soil, to assess the net effect of soil biota from 18 orchards in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada with differing histories of fruit tree production (previously cropped ‘old’ orchards, and not previously cropped ‘young’ orchards). Generally, shoot height increment was larger in non-sterile soil from young orchards than from old orchards (two-factor ANOVA; P < .001). When soil from young orchards was sterilized plant weight was lower, compared to the non-sterilized counterpart (two-factor ANOVA; P = .006). Pratylenchus populations in root tissue were greater in plants grown in old orchard soils than in young orchard soils (one-factor ANOVA; P < .001). Multiple regression analyses showed that FDA hydrolysis, an indicator of microbial activity, was the only variable that significantly predicted plant growth response to sterilization for the variables shoot height increment (R2 = 0.6; P = .001) and plant weight (R2 = 0.5; P = .002). Overall, results from this study suggest that management practices that stimulate microbial activity will benefit growth of cherry trees in previously cropped ‘old’ orchards, and not previously cropped ‘young’ orchards.

Quantifying moisture availability in soil profiles of cherry orchards under different irrigation regimes

Quantification of the availability of soil moisture at different depths of the soil profile to crop water uptake facilitates the development of scientific water management strategies. A three-year field irrigation experiment was conducted in a cherry orchard in north China under three micro-irrigation under mulch (MIM) situations, and furrow irrigation (FI) was set as control treatment. The objectives of this study were to (i) study the dynamic variation of soil moisture at different cherry tree growth stages; (ii) further quantify the contribution ratio of soil moisture to water uptake of cherry tree by employing hydrogen isotope abundance measurement; and (ⅲ) finally discuss the mechanism of specific contribution ratios under different irrigation regimes. The contribution ratio of soil moisture to water uptake of cherry tree in the main root zone (0–60 cm) was significantly enhanced by three MIM treatments. When compared with FI, the contribution ratios were increased by 11%–28%, 49%–59% and 16%–33% during the leaf expansion stage, flowering stage and maturation stage, respectively. Moreover, a significant linear relationship (P < 0.05) between the contribution ratio and the dynamic variation coefficient of soil moisture was achieved, indicating that the contribution ratio estimated by hydrogen isotope abundance was consistent with the actual variation of soil moisture in the profile. Further analysis revealed that a higher NO3-N concentration and better coupling of water and nitrogen fertilizer in the main root zone may lead to higher contribution ratio of soil moisture to cherry tree water uptake under MIM treatments.

Cherry tree growth models for orchard management improvement

Twelve cultivars and selections of sweet and sour cherries were surveyed and characterized agromorphologically. A total of 33 characters, mainly defined by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute and the International Union for the Protection of New Cultivars of Plants, were used to describe the tree, branches, leaves, blooming, and fruits. This allowed unequivocally clear separation between six distinct growth forms-compact, dwarf, upright (pillar), columnar, weeping, and standard form-as well as evaluation of their interaction with four rootstocks of different vigor. Natural tree habit diversity within distinct growth forms has the potential to reduce pruning and training requirements in cherry, particularly in medium- and high-density planting. The reported unique growth forms, within compact and columnar tree habit of sour and sweet cherries, combine specific genetic potential of scion fruiting habits and vigor. Genetic diversity was confirmed by simple sequence repeats. Research showed that multiple interactions exist between rootstock and genotypic determined components of the tree architecture, namely branching density, shoot growth dynamics, flower bud differentiation, and distribution. Developed ideotypes are new foundational concepts of modern production strategies bringing significant contribution to improvement of cherry orchard training systems, light interception, efficient fruit harvest, and economics.

Wild cherry tree (Prunus avium L.) growth in pure and mixed plantations in South America

Seven-year-old pure and mixed-species plantations containing cherry tree (Prunus avium L.) were analyzed at six sites in the central and southern area of Chile. The study examines the growth, pests, diseases, and stem form of cherry trees in mixtures and monocultures. Compared to pure plantations, mixed plantations had higher cherry height (up to 28%) in 5 out of 6 sites and higher cherry DBH (up to 34.5%) in 4 out of 6 sites, which could be attributed to a combination of effects, including the presence of nitrogen fixing species.Companion species can play an important role in cherry cultivation. With the exception of piche (Fabiana imbricata Ruiz & Pav.), cherry tree growth was faster and had better sanitary conditions in mixtures than in monocultures. Treatment (species associations) and environment interaction was significant, indicating the presence of different mechanisms underlying plantation effects at different sites, and the convenience of carefully identifying the characteristics of main and companion species, as well as site conditions, to propose suitable site-specific designs for mixed plantations. The growth characteristics of companion and primary species, as well as site conditions, should be selected and matched to improve plantation performance.

Effects of the landscape context on aphid-ant-predator interactions on cherry trees

The loss and isolation of semi-natural habitats reduces biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, with potential negative consequences for the biological control of pest insects. We investigated effects of the landscape context on interactions between the black cherry aphid Myzus cerasi, ants, and aphid predators on young cherry trees. Thirty study sites varied independently in their amount of woody habitat in a 500 m radius and their isolation from woody habitats. We infested young cherry trees with aphids and applied glue rings to half of the trees to exclude ants and earwigs. Early-season densities of syrphids and coccinellids were reduced by ants, and cumulative aphid densities were 10 times higher on ant-accessed trees than on trees from which ants were excluded. Densities of earwigs and syrphids were significantly lower on trees isolated from woody habitats than on trees adjacent to forest. Cumulative aphid densities were two times higher on trees isolated from forest, but only in the absence of glue rings, suggesting that differences in earwig densities could have caused this pattern. Neither predator densities nor aphid densities were influenced by the amount of woody or open semi-natural habitat in a 500 m radius. Growth of cherry trees was reduced by aphids. We conclude that the mutualistic interaction between aphids and ants was largely independent of the landscape context. By contrast, the ecosystem service of aphid suppression was reduced by habitat isolation.

Radiometric properties of photoselective and photoluminescent greenhouse plastic films and their effects on peach and cherry tree growth

SummaryTwo photoselective and three photoluminescent greenhouse plastic films were studied for their effects on the spectral distribution of solar radiation and their influence on the growth of cherry and peach trees in the field and in laboratory tests.The two photoselective films modified the ratio of the photon fluence rate in the red to that in the far-red (R/FR), while the three photoluminescent films increased both the blue and red solar radiation by moving energy from the ultra-violet range to the blue and red wavelength range.The photoselective film that reduced the R/FR ratio, from 1.14 (open-field) to 0.93, enhanced shoot growth in peach (46.1 cm) and cherry trees (68.7 cm) compared to trees grown in the open-field (13.5 cm and 39.3 cm for peach and cherry trees, respectively). Trees grown under the red-emitting photoluminescent film showed increases in shoot length of 27.2 cm and 55.8 cm for peach and cherry trees, respectively; while plants grown under the blue-emitting photoluminescent film showed increases of 22.4 cm and 48.9 cm for peach and cherry trees, respectively. This research showed that a significant enhancement of shoot growth in peach and cherry trees can be obtained using plastic films that modify the spectral distribution of solar radiation. Further research should explore the potential for the development of film-additives that promote more compact vegetative growth.

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) growth is mostly affected by rootstock and much less by budding height

The effects of several rootstocks and budding heights upon the growth of three cherry (Prunus avium) cultivars were investigated during the first 4 years of growth. The trial was established in 1998 in north‐east Portugal using ‘Burlat’, ‘Summit’, and ‘Van’ cultivars grafted onto Edabriz, Gisela 5, and Maxma 14 at 10, 20, and 30 cm above soil level, and onto Cab and Prunus avium (Mazzard) at 10, 30, and 60 cm above soil level. Total shoot length and trunk diameter were recorded at transplantation from the nursery and at the end of the 3rd leaf stage in the orchard. As early as at transplantation, the effects of budding height, rootstock, rootstock × budding height interaction, and cultivar were significant in the trunk cross‐sectional area (TCSA), being responsible for 11.6%, 9.6%, 9.3%, and 7.8% of the total variance, respectively. At the 3rd leaf stage, 79.2% of the expected variance was attributable to rootstock, and 4.1 % to budding height. TCSAs of the trees on Edabriz, Gisela 5, Cab 1 1E, and Maxma 14 were, respectively, 30%, 32%, 62%, and 74% of those on Mazzard. Increasing budding height decreased tree vigour for all the rootstocks. In the nursery, it was already noticeable that vigour reductions between extreme budding levels were evident, first on the rootstock Cab 11E (44%) and then in Gisela 5 (35%), Edabriz (22%), and P. avium (20%). In the 3rd year in the orchard, tree TCSA reduction on Edabriz and Gisela 5 was 30% and on Maxma 14 it was 15%, when comparing buddings made at 10 and 30 cm. The reduction for the trees on Cab 11E and P. avium was 24%, when comparing buddings made at 10 and 60 cm. In our trial conditions the rootstock was the main influencing factor on plant growth and budding height was revealed to be the second most determinant factor on tree growth, irrespective of rootstock vigour. Consequently, budding height, although not so decisive in dwarfing as with apple and pear trees, can contribute to cherry tree growth and can also control and help to manage canopy size and crop rentability.

樺細工用オオヤマザクラ樹皮の形質と品質評価に関する研究

In Akita prefecture, cherry bark is used for traditional industrial purposes (so-called kabazaiku). It is basically necessary to evaluate the bark of the tree for breeding and silviculture.In the present study, we established a bark evaluation method that can be used with ease. From the observation of 3 mountains with cherry tree growth, it was seen that the cherry trees located on the ridge side were shorter and had smaller diameters and thiner bark compared to those on the valley side.Using principal components analysis, the bark from 8 locations of 3 mountains could be classfied into 4 types. Moreover, the cherry tree height, bark thickness, and healthiness are correlated to the diameter of the tree. The height and the bark thickness can be estimaed by a single regression formula, using the tree diameter as the explanatory variable, but the bark healthiness cannot allow such estimation.It was suggested that the cherry bark thickness and the healthiness are genetically and environmentally regulated.

The effect of crown gall on growth of cherry trees

Over 1000 cherry trees, as rootstocks, nursery sweet cherry or ornamental cultivars or orchard trees up to 7 years old, with or without galls, were examined to determine the effect, if any, of crown gall disease on tree growth. No clear, consistent differences between healthy and galled trees were found. Healthy 1‐year‐old F12/ 1 rootstocks were smaller than their galled counterparts but the reverse was true for 2‐year‐old sweet cherries and ornamental cultivars. The mean girth of non‐galled 6‐year‐old trees of cv Schrecken was greater than that of galled trees from the same orchard. Detailed records on two sweet cherry cultivars, Napoleon and Roundel, revealed some differences in growth rate in the early years between healthy trees and those with various levels of galling at planting, but these differences were not sustained. Irrespective of gall status at planting no correlation was detected between final gall status and ultimate tree size. The data support the view that there is no consistent effect of crown gall on cherry tree growth and that the adverse appearance of affected nursery material is the main problem with this disease.