MILLENNIUM PLANTING DENSITY TRIAL OF ‘BRAMLEY’S SEEDLING’ APPLE ON M.9 AND M.27 ROOTSTOCKS 2000-2012

Increasingly, traditional Bramley orchards in Ireland are being replaced with high density orchards.
These new orchards have a much higher capital charge at establishment which must be repaid with higher yields.
In order for growers to determine their optimal planting density/rootstock combination; it is necessary to commercially evaluate different planting densities.
In 2000, a range of different densities was planted: M9’s at 672, 961 and 1492 trees ha-1 and M27’s at 1279, 1492 and 1957 trees ha-1 (imperial spacings were used to suit the local industry). Yield has increased year on year. Lower planting densities had repaid their establishment costs by the 7th harvest whilst the higher densities took until the 9th harvest.
By the end of the 13th harvest the highest M9 density was significantly more productive than the others.
The M27 plantings did not perform as well as the M9’s but the highest M27 density continues to close the gap on the M9’s.

X International Symposium on Integrating Canopy, Rootstock and Environmental Physiology in Orchard Systems

S. Mac an tSaoir, G. Cross, J. Mansfield, F. Ward

bio-economics, Ireland

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1058.79