Articles
Twenty years’ experience with different planting systems for ‘Conference’ pears
Article number
1403_2
Pages
21 – 28
Language
English
Abstract
To help fruit growers with the choice of the planting system, 7 different planting systems for ‘Conference’ on Quince Adams were planted in the spring of 2002. Besides production and quality parameters, material cost and labor time were monitored in detail.
In order to enable a precise comparison, the trial results of the bush-spindle shaped trees with a planting distance of 3.50×1.50 m are fixed at 100% to which other planting systems are compared.
The other planting systems included in the test are: the hedge of Tienen, the long pruning, the candlestick system (trees with 3 leaders), an intensive V-system, spindle trees and the “Drapeau” system (trees were planted at an angle of 45°). At planting, the “Drapeau” system, the hedge of Tienen and the long pruning were cheaper in construction than the bush-spindle shape and the candlestick system.
The V-system and the spindle trees were the highest in cost and labor.
From the third year of growth, the costs were more or less the same for all the systems, except for the “Drapeau” system.
The high costs of this system from the second till the sixth growing year were the result of placing extra wires to complete the system.
The long pruning system and the hedge of Tienen had the lowest total costs after 20 years.
The highest yields were obtained with the “Drapeau” system, followed by the long pruning and the V-system.
Over 20 years, the largest pears were found in the V-system, the candlestick system and the bush-spindle shaped trees, while the smallest were found in the long pruning.
After 20 years, the best financial result is obtained by the “Drapeau” system, followed by the intensive V-system and the candlestick system.
The financial result was calculated from the real material and labor costs.
The calculation of the total costs after 20 years did not include depreciation of investment costs, i.e. investment costs from trees and supporting materials were fully included.
In order to enable a precise comparison, the trial results of the bush-spindle shaped trees with a planting distance of 3.50×1.50 m are fixed at 100% to which other planting systems are compared.
The other planting systems included in the test are: the hedge of Tienen, the long pruning, the candlestick system (trees with 3 leaders), an intensive V-system, spindle trees and the “Drapeau” system (trees were planted at an angle of 45°). At planting, the “Drapeau” system, the hedge of Tienen and the long pruning were cheaper in construction than the bush-spindle shape and the candlestick system.
The V-system and the spindle trees were the highest in cost and labor.
From the third year of growth, the costs were more or less the same for all the systems, except for the “Drapeau” system.
The high costs of this system from the second till the sixth growing year were the result of placing extra wires to complete the system.
The long pruning system and the hedge of Tienen had the lowest total costs after 20 years.
The highest yields were obtained with the “Drapeau” system, followed by the long pruning and the V-system.
Over 20 years, the largest pears were found in the V-system, the candlestick system and the bush-spindle shaped trees, while the smallest were found in the long pruning.
After 20 years, the best financial result is obtained by the “Drapeau” system, followed by the intensive V-system and the candlestick system.
The financial result was calculated from the real material and labor costs.
The calculation of the total costs after 20 years did not include depreciation of investment costs, i.e. investment costs from trees and supporting materials were fully included.
Publication
Authors
J. Vercammen, A. Gomand, D. Bylemans
Keywords
yield, fruit weight, fruit quality, costs, labor, financial result, training system
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