1 / 47

Training and Pruning Basics

.:: Hortilover ::. Training and Pruning Basics. Objectives and Tools. Balanced Renewal. Strong Tree Framework. Facilitate Management. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently. Maintain Productivity. What happens if you do not prune?. Faster growth Earlier fruiting Less light penetration

erol
Download Presentation

Training and Pruning Basics

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. .:: Hortilover ::. Training and Pruning Basics Objectives and Tools www.Hortilover.com/

  2. Balanced Renewal Strong Tree Framework Facilitate Management Harvest Sunlight Efficiently Maintain Productivity www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  3. What happens if you do not prune? • Faster growth • Earlier fruiting • Less light penetration • Poor spray coverage • More difficult to manage www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  4. Balanced Renewal Objectives of training • A. Establish a strong tree framework • B. Facilitate management of tree and crop • C. Harvest sunlight efficiently • D. Maintain productivity • by renewing fruiting wood www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  5. A. Establish a Strong Tree Framework Structural Wood • Upright vertical trunk • Well distributed scaffolds • Wide crotch angles www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  6. Vertical trunk Establish a Strong Tree Framework Well Distributed Scaffolds www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  7. Establish a Strong Tree Framework • Wide branch angles are stronger • Narrow angles are weak and increase shading inside canopy www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  8. A Strong Tree Framework: • Major objective of the first three years • Must last the lifetime of the tree • Structural support for fruit crop • Should not be crowded www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  9. B. Facilitate Management of the Tree and Crop • Height of primary scaffolds • Distribute scaffolds well • Tree uniformity • Tree size www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  10. Facilitate Management:1. Height of Primary Scaffolds • Access to tree base • Irrigation, herbicides, fertilizers • Allow air movement to minimize disease pressure www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  11. Easy entry to tree Thinning, pruning, harvesting Good pesticide coverage Facilitate Management:2. Distribute Scaffolds Well www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  12. Facilitate Management:3. Tree Uniformity • Easier to train employees • Mechanization possible www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  13. Facilitate Management:4. Tree Size • Small trees are easier to work • No ladders needed • Easy to reach all parts of tree • Better spray penetration www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  14. Facilitate Management of the Tree and Crop • Optimize height of primary scaffolds • Allow space at tree base • Distribute scaffolds well • Do not over crowd scaffolds • Tree uniformity • Limit tree size with summer and winter pruning www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  15. C. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently • Maximize surface area of orchard covered by canopy • Limit canopy depth www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  16. Most rapid in high density plantings Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:1. Maximize surface area of orchard covered by canopy www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  17. 50% 30% Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:2. Limit Canopy Depth Light Intensity Decreases Within the Tree Canopy www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  18. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:2. Limit Canopy Depth Photosynthesis Decreases at Lower Light Levels www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  19. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:Poor Light Intensity Leads to • Poor fruit color • Poor fruit distribution • Less fruit bud development • Poor fruit size • Poor fruit flavor www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  20. Poor fruit color Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:Poor Light Intensity Leads to www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  21. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:Light Intensity Affects:Fruit Color, Distribution, and Size www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  22. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:Light Intensity Affects:Fruit Color, Distribution, and Size www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  23. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:Light Intensity and Fruit Size % Light Penetration Fruit size (grams) www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  24. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:Light Intensity and Fruit Distribution % Light Penetration % Fruit Distribution www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  25. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:Light Intensity and Fruit Flavor % Light Penetration % Soluble Solids www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  26. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently • Maximize Orchard Floor Covered with Canopy • Limit canopy depth to 3 feet • Expose all parts of the canopy with at least 50% sunlight www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  27. Balanced Renewal D. Maintain ProductivitySustain maximum bearing area for maximal time www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  28. D. Maintain Productivity • Maintain light distribution in canopy • Remove unproductive wood • Maintain good vegetative:fruit balance www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  29. Maintain Productivity:Maintain light distribution in canopy • Only sun-exposed areas produce quality fruit • Limit canopy depth to 3’ • Control tree size • Unless control tree size the fruit moves up every year • Lower part of tree will be shaded www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  30. Maintain Productivity:Remove Unproductive Wood • Fruiting wood which hangs down • Fruiting wood which is shaded • Water sprouts and root suckers • Diseased or damaged wood • Weak or thin wood www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  31. Maintain Productivity:Remove Unproductive Wood • Remove weak or thin wood www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  32. Maintain Productivity:Remove Unproductive Wood • Remove weak or thin wood www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  33. Maintain Productivity:Maintain good vegetative:fruit balance • Thin out excessively vigorous vegetative growth during summer • Allows light into center of tree www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  34. Maintain Productivity:Maintain good vegetative:fruit balance • Remove excessive fruiting wood • In peaches - remove 40-60% of new fruiting wood each year www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  35. Conclusions:How should you train your trees? • Many approaches work • Open center is most common for peaches • Central leader is most common for pome fruit • Find a program that works and stick to it www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  36. Conclusions:How should you train your trees? • Keep in mind the four objectives • Establish a strong tree framework • Facilitate management of tree and crop • Harvest sunlight efficiently • Maintain productivity by balanced renewal www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  37. What Tools Are Used in Tree Training? www.Hortilover.com/

  38. Tools used in Tree Training • Manipulation of apical dominance • Controlled by the plant hormone auxin • Produced by actively growing shoots • Moves down the branch with gravity www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  39. Effects of auxin • Inhibits lateral bud break • Inhibits lateral shoot growth • Affects branch angle www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  40. Heading Cut Remove part of the branch Stimulate bud break near cut Stimulate localized branching PruningRemove the Source of Auxin www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  41. Hedging = Heading Cuts • Initially it opens up the canopy • Since heading cuts • Stimulate lateral bud break • Vigorous vegetative growth creates a dense canopy www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  42. PruningRemove the Source of Auxin • Thinning cut • Remove branch at point of origin • Least invigorating cut • Promote light penetration into canopy • Maintenance pruning www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  43. Bend Branch Towards Horizontal • Decreases amount of auxin moving from tip Bend to a 45 to 60 degree angle • Increase lateral branching • Decrease terminal growth www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  44. Bend Branch Towards Horizontal • Decreases amount of auxin moving from tip Bend below the horizontal • Increase lateral branching • Buds at highest point break • Decrease terminal growth www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  45. Timing of pruning • Dormant pruning • Most common approach • Summer pruning • Works well in combination with dormant pruning • Open up the tree to allow light into center www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  46. Pruning Response Varies with Tree • Different varieties/crops grow differently • Spur types in apples • Vigor level of the tree • Age of the tree • Rootstock • Fertility/irrigation/soil constraints • Small fruited vs. large fruited crops www.Hortilover.com/ HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

  47. Any Questions? Any Questions? Any Questions? Any Questions? Any Questions? www.Hortilover.com/

More Related