Influence of the planting system on peach tree growth and productivity
2012
Stanica, F. | Peticila, A. | Dumitrascu, M. | Matei, T. | Gala, R.A.
In a young peach orchard planted on the Romanian plain on brown-reddish soil, different planting systems were studied. Peach trees of five cultivars: ‘Early Rich’, ‘Royal Estate’, ‘Rubirich’, ‘October Star’ and Late Luka’, grafted on GF 677 rootstock, were planted in the early spring 2008. Four canopies with different planting distances were formed as follows: Tatura trellis and V planting system, planted at 5.0x1.0 and 5.0x1.5 m, Sibari Y planted at 4.5x1.5 m and Vertical axe, planted at 4.0x1.5 m. Trees were led on wire trellis (Tatura trellis), on bamboo canes (V planting system and Sibari Y) or by pruning (Vertical axe). The inter row was cultivated with a mixture of perennial grasses and mowed mechanically. Drip irrigation was provided on the row, with auto compensating drippers for every tree. On the row, the soil was maintained clean by hand and mechanical cultivation. An integrated pest management was applied. Tree growth was evaluated using the measurement of the trunk cross sectional area, number and shoots length per tree, typology of the fruit branches, etc. In parallel, blooming intensity, fruit set percentage, fruit number, fruit size and fruit production per tree were measured and evaluated. Measurements of the light interception and photosynthesis into the canopy were applied. Within a single canopy there were no significant differences between the cultivars’ behaviour. Instead, the different canopies influenced the most important features of peach trees, as growth, physiology and productivity. The results give an idea on the most suitable planting system for the new peach cultivars cultivated in integrated peach orchard, under efficiency and sustainability.
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