THE SLENDER PYRAMID TREE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM – IN PURSUIT OF HIGHER STANDARDS OF APPLE FRUIT QUALITY

The Slender Pyramid tree management system for single row central leader orchards has the foremost objective to enhance fruit quality and cropping precocity by optimisation of the orchard canopy environment.
The system evolved under New Zealand conditions, and is not dependent on use of dwarf rootstocks but does require rootstocks which induce high floral precocity and early cropping.
Slender Pyramid tree management has been used with intermediate, semi-intensive and high density planting systems.
Although yield enhancement was not a primary objective, improvements in fruit quality had to be achieved without compromising the 70–90 t/ha annual yield capability of mature New Zealand apple orchards.

Slender Pyramid tree management follows several guiding principles:

1. minimal targeted pruning during orchard establishment years to maximise desirable canopy development and precocious cropping

2. establishment of tree canopy architecture which will maximise light interception, optimise light distribution throughout the tree and minimise within-tree shading

3. the use of knowledge of the natural fruiting habit of cultivars to develop renewal pruning practices which maximise bud types known to produce highest quality fruit.

The Slender Pyramid system combined ideas from the existing tree management systems McKenzie Central Leader, Vertical Axis and Slender Spindle to achieve the ideal tree.
Mature tree form comprises a spreading basal tier of 4 branches with a narrow pyramidal canopy above, in which the central leader bears well-spaced whorls of temporary fruiting laterals of diminishing vigour with increasing height in the tree.
Maintaining the slender upper canopy requires renewal pruning to remove those limbs which exceed their space, that are very pendant in orientation or are too vigorous for their position in the tree – all characteristics which induce shading within the tree.
Hence orchards of slender pyramid trees show a distinctive discontinuity between upper tree crowns along the row – a factor which enhances light distribution within the tree while maintaining high light interception.
When planted at appropriate spacings for the vigour of the rootstock and site, Slender Pyramid tree management achieves a leaf area index of approximately 3.0 in fully developed orchard canopies.

XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 3: Culture Techniques with Special Emphasis on Environmental Implications, Disease, Pest Control and Integrated Pest Strategies

D.S. Tustin

apple rootstocks, flowering, fruit quality, leaf area density, leaf area index, light interception, orchard systems, precocity, pruning, yield

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.513.37