DEVELOPMENT OF PRUNING AND TRAINING SYSTEMS FOR HIGHER DENSITY PEACH ORCHARDS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Until the early seventies all peach trees were planted using an open vase system with four and more leaders at 45° angles and wide spacings.
Subsequently, increasing input costs necessitated the development of higher density planting systems to increase production.
Tree training had to accommodate higher densities, while allowing for efficient sunlight interception and penetration within and shoot development at the base on the outside of the canopy.
During the late seventies the free standing closed vase system with three upright leaders was introduced to accommodate these principals.
During the same period the development of the central leader, supported or free standing, with small lateral branches spaced at fixed distances, according to a hierarchy of wider and stronger branches at the base, decreasing and narrowing towards the top, took place.
This system was modified to accommodate only bearing shoots in a spiral orientation around the leader, allowing a tree spacing of 4 x 1.5 m.
Advances in summer pruning enabled growing of peach trees at high densities on relatively vigorous rootstocks while managing light optimally.
During the nineties the central leader was modified to a two-leaders-in-the-row system, creating more volume and bearing shoots per tree initially.
This system is currently favoured by many peach and nectarine growers.
In this article the training and summer pruning involved in the formation, selection and maintenance of bearing shoots of modern peach orchards in South Africa will be discussed.

VIII International Peach Symposium

P.J.C. Stassen

closed vase, central leader, two leader, rootstocks

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1084.48