COMPARISON BETWEEN TWO PLANTING DISTANCES FOR THREE ALMOND CULTIVARS

In the trial three almond varieties (Supernova, Tuono and Ferragnes) planted at two different distances (5X5 and 5×2.5) were compared.

The orchard was located at the Azienda Sperimentale "Pantanello" in Metaponto (MATERA) of the Basilicata region.
One-year-old scions were planted in 1983-84.

Cumulated crop production per tree at the end of the ninth year was higher in plants planted at 5×5. On the contrary yield per ha was higher when plants were grown at 5×2.5 during the first years, while in the following years the difference tended to disappear when the trees reached full production.

Cv Ferragnes resulted more productive, followed by Supernova and Tuono even if the differences were not statistically significant.

The quantity of pruning wood per tree was higher for cv Ferragnes at 5×5 planting density.
This quantity calculated per ha eventually becomes equal for the two planting densities, nevertheless cv Ferragnes always resulted in a higher quantity of pruning wood.

The results of this trial demonstrate that increasing plant density in almond culture is of very limited interest.

I International Congress on Almond

F. MONASTRA, G. MARTELLI, A. CHIARIOTTI

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1994.373.33