Growth and yield of the sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) as affected by training system

Abstract

Modern intensive production of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) tends to planting of high quality cultivars on the dwarfing rootstocks in high density orchards. The most productive training system is used, providing an ideal condition for undisturbed growth and yield. The main objective of this study was to determine the best training system of sweet cherry, considering regular and high yields and fruit quality. The three-year study was carried out on a 4-years old sweet cherry orchard with cultivar summit grafted on the dwarfing rootstock Tabel ® Edabriz. Three different training systems (Spanish bush, Spindle bush and "V") were compared. The smaller vegetative growth, expressed as trunk crosssectional area (TCSA) was recorded in Spanish bush (34.68 cm2) when compared to Spindle bush (40.11 cm²) and "V" (40.82 cm²). The largest cumulative yield per hectare was gotten by the training system "V" (41.65 t/ha), followed by Spindle bush (21.12 t/ha) and Spanish bush (11.30 t/ha). Yield efficiency (YE) (kg/cm²) of Spanish bush (0.19 kg/cm²) was significantly lower than that of Spindle bush (0.32 kg/cm²) and "V" (0.28 kg/cm²). Yield per unit land area (YA) (kg/m²) differed in all training systems and the highest was recorded on "V", while the smallest was in Spanish bush. Training system and density did not affect the fruit weight. Results showed that the training system significantly affected the growth and yield of sweet cherry.

Key words: Rootstock, trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), training system.