A FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON OF SIX TRAINING SYSTEMS AND FIVE CULTIVARS OF PEARS IN THE HOOD RIVER VALLEY

Five-year-old Cascade, Columbia Red d’Anjou, d’Anjou, Golden Russet Bosc, and Starkrimson pears trained to the Marchand, Mid-Columbia Central Leader, MIA, Palmate, Slender Spindle, and Standard Central Leader systems were evaluated for productivity, fruit size, flowering, and fruit set.
Highest cumulative per tree yields occurred with the Mid-Columbia Central Leader (Cascade and Columbia Red d’Anjou), the Marchand (Bosc and Starkrimson), and Standard Central Leader (d’Anjou). The highest per hectare yields occurred with the MIA, with the exception d’Anjou where the MIA and Standard Central Leader had similar yields.
Individual fruit weight was highest on Bosc, d’Anjou, and Starkrimson trees trained to the Mid-Columbia Central Leader, Cascade trained to the Standard Central Leader, and Columbia Red d’Anjou trained to the Marchand.
Differences in yield were due to a combination of flower numbers and percent fruit set.
Additionally, distance from a pollinator affected set and yield.
Fruit set declined when a cultivar was 2 or more trees away from a pollinator in some systems.

VII International Symposium on Pear Growing

E.A. Mielke

Pyrus communis, Central Leader, Marchand, Palmate, Spindle, MIA, Cascade, d’Anjou, Golden Russet Bosc, Columbia Red d’Anjou, Starkrimson

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.475.45