MANIPULATION OF THE PEACH MEADOW ORCHARD

An intensive peach meadow orchard was planted in 1984 using four low chill Florida cultivars spaced at 2.5 m × 0.5 m (8 000 per ha). Three management systems were initially compared: mechanised single stem, intensive double arm and paclobutrazol (PBZ) treated double arm.
Eighteen months after planting, fruit production varied from 20–37 tonnes per ha from trees 3 m high but fruit only averaged 75 g.
Trees re-established rapidly after postharvest pollarding.

In the second and third seasons, (PBZ 0.2 g per tree) in May reduced tree height, increased fruit size, advanced flowering and harvesting dates and improved tree efficiency (leaf:fruit ratios). In the third season, a foliar application of 1% hydrogen cyanamide (CYAN) 3 weeks prior to bud break advanced flowering and leaf bud break and produced more uniform flowering and fruit development.
Commercial development of the meadow system depends on the successful integration of PBZ and CYAN to regulate flowering and fruiting.

Australian Temperate Fruits Review Conference

A.R. Menzies, K. Richens

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1989.240.18