Temperate Rainforest Corey Thorpe. Geographical Locations : Temperate Rainforest.
XIVth Apple and Temperate Zone Fruit Tree International ...P. S. 2008) Key limiting factors … ·...
Transcript of XIVth Apple and Temperate Zone Fruit Tree International ...P. S. 2008) Key limiting factors … ·...
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Key limiting factors to
productivity and fruit quality of
apples
Stephen A. Hoying and Terence Robinson
Senior Extension Associate and Professor
Hudson Valley Lab and the NYSAES
Cornell University
XIVth Apple and Temperate Zone Fruit Tree
International Symposium
November 14, 2008
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Thanks to Carlos Chavez and the
organizers for the invitation to speak to
you. I am sure I will learn a lot more
from you than you will from me. I want
to extend and invitation for all of you to
visit anytime and I will make sure your
trip is worthwhile.
Deep snows and frigid wintersAbundant year round water
Different Pest Complex
Low pH Soils
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THE ORCHARD SYSTEMS
PUZZLE
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THE ORCHARD
SYSTEMS PUZZLE
VARIETY AND
ROOTSTOCK
SITETREE QUALITY
SUPPORT
SYSTEM
TRAINING
AND
PRUNING
TREE
ARRANGEMENT
MANAGEMENT
SKILLS
• Site
•Rootstock and Variety
•Tree Quality
•Tree Arrangement
•Support System
•Training and Pruning
•Management Skills
After Barritt ‘75
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Which are the critical
factors?• Variety
• Site Selection
• Preplant Land Preparation
– Lime and Fertilizer
– Drainage
• Tree Delivery and Planting Date
• Tree Quality
– Caliper/Height
– Root system
– Feathers
• Planting Systems
Selection
– rootstock, variety,
spacing, support
system,
• Planting Procedures
• Cultural Care
• Pest Control
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Pre-plant Considerations
• Choosing a Planting Site
– Climate
– Soils
• The most important factor in maximizing
Yield and Fruit Quality. Once an orchard is
planted climate and soil cannot be changed!
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Site Selection - Climate
Macro Climate
Micro Climate
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Factors Determining Site
Suitability
Climatic Macro-Factors
• Geography, Elevation & Regional Climate
• 1000 – 1200 hours of chilling between 39-45 oF.
• 200 day growing season
• Moderate temperatures that minimize winter injury and summer sunburn yet promote optimal fruit coloring and improve firmness and soluble solids (Brix).
• Most of these sites in the world are identified – that is why we grow fruit where we do in NY and you in Mexico. And during hard economic times these area’s shrink to the very best of the best
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Factors Determining Site
Suitability
Climatic Micro-Factors
These factors are within the orchardist’s control.
• Topography, Slope, Aspect and Location
– Influence possibility of Spring Frost, Hail, Fruit Maturity and
Soil Drainage, Orchard Spacing and Equipment Usage.
– The Best Frost Control Technique is Good Site Selection.
• Situate orchard to allow cold air drainage out of orchard.
• Take advantage of moderating effects of large bodies of
water if possible.
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Effect of Air Drainage on Frost
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Soils
• Deep - Root penetration and exploration for nutrients and water.
• Well Drained – Roots experience oxygenation, not asphyxiation. High water tables cause unwanted root-pruning.
• Reasonably Fertile – Good not excessive plant growth, low fertility has significant affect on Yield and high fertility has a significant effect on fruit quality
• Free of Pathogens - Phytothphora, Armillaria, others unknown
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Soil Depth
• Bed Rock
• Restrictive Layers
– Fragipan
– Plow or Traffic Pan
• Water Table
– Seasonal
– Perched
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Suitable for fruit. Deep
with excellent root
distribution and
penetration.
Batjer, 1930
Shallow soils limit rooting
depth and the tree’s ability
to overcome stresses from
drought and poor nutrition
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Site
Preparation
Tree (and productivity)
losses will result in
permanent yield
reduction over the life
of the planting
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Pre-plant Orchard Planning
• Select Variety and Rootstock
• Density and Spacing
– Tree Density and Light interception are the
keys to high yields
• Planting System
– A training and pruning scheme to achieve high
yields
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Variety
The Variety contributes
to yield, precocity,
quality, marketability,
and product price. All
contribute to the
success of an Orchard
System.
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Mistakes in Variety Selection that
May Result in Productivity Loss
• Planting too much of a low yield, low
price variety.
• Planting a variety that is unproven in a
region and turns out to be unsuitable
• Planting a variety before having an
established market.
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PROFIT GENERATORS
• PRODUCT PRICE – FRUIT QUALITY
• VARIETY – Honeycrisp
• FRUIT SIZE – Gala
• FRUIT COLOR - McIntosh
• FRUIT CONDITION – Empire
• MARKET CONDITIONS – Macoun
• YIELD (Contribute to 50% of your profitability)
• PRECOCITY - TIME TO FIRST BEARING
• TIME TO MATURE YIELD
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Rootstock
Rootstock determine tree
size and spacing,
influence fruit quality
(size), precocity, and
resistance to various
pest and diseases eg.
Novole – mice, G30 –
Fireblight.
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Rootstock
• Too Strong for System
– Increased pruning
– Reduced yield
– Reduced fruit color and SS
– Increased Physiological Disorders such as
Bitterpit
Photo courtesy CB Watkins
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Rootstock
To Weak for Systems:
• Significantly delayed bearing• Reduced Yield
• Reduced fruit size
• Exposure disorders like heat stress and sunburn
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Selecting a Tree Density
• Rootstock vigor
• Variety vigor
• Soil Strength
• Climate
• Several models integrating the above factors are available for certain regions
– Cummins – NY
– Perry - Michigan
– Various Nursery Catalogues
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0
200
400
600
8002
2 Y
ea
r C
um
ula
tiv
e Y
ield
(M
t/h
a)
0 500 1000 1500 2000
Tree Density (trees/ha)
Delicious
Empire
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0
50
100
150
200
250
Cu
m Y
ield
(M
T/h
a)
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000
Tree Density (trees/ha)
Effect of Tree Density on 7 Yr. Cumulative Yield
McIntosh
Gala
Fuji
Empire
Tree density had a highly significant negative effect on cumulative
yield per tree but a highly significant positive effect on yield per ha.
The cumulative yield per ha of the highest tree density was 3X
greater than the lowest density
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Higher the density the better! Right?
• For increasing yield - RIGHT!
• For increasing profitability – WRONG!
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When profitability was calculated
per unit land area with traditional
fruit prices, profitability over 20
years increased with increasing tree
density up to a density of 1,000
trees/acre (2,500 trees/ha).
0
2500
5000
7500
10000
12500
Net
Pre
sen
t V
alu
e ($
/Acr
e)
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
Trees Density (Trees/Acre)
Feathered Trees + Steel Tube Tree Stake
Inexpensive Feathered Trees + 4 Wire TrellisFeathered Tree + 4 Wire Trellis
When profitability was
calculated per $10,000 invested
then the optimum tree densities
was about 850 trees/acre (2100
trees/ha).
0
2500
5000
7500
10000
12500
Net
Pre
sen
t V
alu
e ($
/$1
0,0
00
in
ves
ted
)
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
Trees Density (Trees/Acre)
Inexpensive Feathered Trees + 4 Wire TrellisFeathered Trees + 4 Wire TrellisFeathered Tree + Steel Tube Tree Stake
B
Economic Results
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Tree Arrangement
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4 Wire Trellis
Triple Row
Y Trellis
Slender
Spindle
V Slender Sp
PLANTING
SYSTEMS
TRIALS
Vertical
Angled
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Systems Trials have shown the most
successful plantings use:
• Size controlling and precocious Rootstocks preferably an appropriate clone of M.9 or CG.
• High Quality Large feathered nursery stock.
• Are planted in Single rows
• Have Planting densities of 800 – 1300 tree/Acre
• Trees are supported to 10 feet in height
• Are minimally pruned and appropriately trained.
• Are managed for a balance of growth and fruiting.
• Pest are managed for minimal effect on trees and fruit.
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The Tall Spindle
System
• 0.90-1.20 m in-row spacing
(3-4’)
• 3.0-3.5 m between rows (10-
12’)
• 3 m tall (10’)
• no permanent branches
• highly feathered trees
• minimal pruning at planting
• feathers tied below
horizontal at planting.
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Older Tall Spindle
Orchard
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Tree Quality
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
% Yield
2nd Year 3rd Year 4th YearRobinson and Stiles 1994
1/4" Trees
5/8" Trees
7/8" Trees(2 yr old)
Effect of Tree Caliper on Yield
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Quality Nursery trees!!!!!
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Typical feathered trees in the USA have ~ 5 large feathers
These require some pruning and significant branch tying.
With wide spacing as
used with Vertical Axis
we suggested tipping
leader and feathers
With the Tall Spindle we suggest removing the 2
largest diameter feathers but leaving the leader and
feathers unheaded. All remaining feathers must be
tied down to prevent them from becoming large
branches.
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• M.9
– Fire blight is a risk in NY and winter damage is a risk in colder areas.
– Use weaker clone of M.9 (T337) with vigorous scion varieties or with
vigorous or virgin soil.
– Use the vigorous clones (Nic29, Pajam2) with weak varieties or with
weak soils or on replant soils or in hot climates.
• B.9 – Is weaker than M.9 and must be spaced very close to achieve high
yields per acre. It may be too weak with weak scions.– More winter hardy than M.9.
– Has field resistance to fire blight.
– Very susceptible to apple replant disease.
• G.11, G.41, G.16
– Similar in vigor to M.9.
– As productive or more productive than M.9.
– Fire blight resistant.
Rootstocks Suggestions for Tall Spindle
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Three Dwarfing Geneva® Rootstocks• G.11
• Tree size and productivity are similar to M.9.
• Large fruit size.
• It is fire blight resistant but is not immune.
• In European CG trial it has looked the best.
• Commercial sales in the US are strong.
• G.16• Tree size is similar to vigorous clones of M.9
• Large fruit size.
• It is fire blight immune.
• Good resistance to replant disease
• Requires virus free budwood.
• Currently available from most nurseries.
• G.41• Tree size is similar to M.9 but productivity is
better.
• It is resistant to fire blight and crown rot
• It is very winter hardy
• Good resistance to replant disease
• Will be available in 2-3 years.
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Conclusions1) The tall spindle system appears to be the most profitable system for
New York growers.
2) Highly feathered trees are the key to the system
3) Branch angle management. Bending feathers below horizontal at planting induces early cropping and limits branch size.
4) Branch caliper management. Removal of large branches keeps trees manageable.
5) Restrict vegetative growth by partitioning a high proportion of photosynthates into apples.
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Poor Support System can contribute to
either catastrophic tree loss or continuing
yield reduction.
Support System
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Pest
Control
Poor pest control
can contribute to
tree loss, crop
loss, lack of
precocity, fruit
quality reduction
and on and on.
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“Today’s fruit grower must have
a complete knowledge of all the
pieces of the puzzle and the
ability to put it together for a
productive and profitable
orchard!
Conclusion