Trellis Height Effect on the Production Characteristics of Raspberry

I. Glisic, T. Milosevic and B. Veljkovic I. Glisic and N. Milosevic

Faculty of Agronomy Fruit Research Institute
Cacak Cacak
Serbia Serbia

Keywords: raspberry, trellis height, yield, fruit weight

Abstract
The paper presents two-year results on the effect of two different trellis
heights (two different cane lengths) on the production characteristics of the
‘Willamette’ raspberry cultivar. In Variant 1, the trellis height was 185 cm, in most
cases a standard height employed in raspberry plantations in Serbia. In Variant 2,
the trellis height was 225 cm. The following parameters were examined: number of
fruiting laterals per cane, average length of fruiting laterals, average fruit mass and
yield per row meter and per unit of area. The results showed that the number of
fruiting laterals per cane in Variants 1 and 2 was 16.28 and 21.88, respectively. The
difference was statistically highly significant. The average fruiting lateral length was
47.32 cm in Variant 1 and 41.86 cm in Variant 2. As in the former case, the
difference was statistically highly significant. The average raspberry fruit mass in
Variant 1 was 3.91 g and in Variant 2 it was somewhat lower, up to 3.80 g, but the
difference was statistically insignificant. The yield per row metre in Variant 1 was
2.87 kg or 14.34 t/ha. In Variant 2, the yield per row metre was 3.43 kg or 17.15 t/ha.
Yield increase in Variant 2 was statistically highly significant. An increase in cane
length (trellis height) in the ‘Willamette’ raspberry cultivar by 40 cm, or to the
upper raspberry ground-harvesting limit, resulted in a 19.6% yield increase. A fruit
mass decrease was observed in this variant, but it was not statistically significant.
INTRODUCTION
The world raspberry production has increased by about 50% in the last 15 years
(Petrovic and Milosevic, 2005). Russia, Serbia and the USA are the world's greatest
raspberry producers. A specifically high production growing tendency has been recorded
in Poland and Chile (Petrovic and Leposavic, 2005). According to Plocharski and
Smolarz (1993), the raspberry production in Poland in 1992 was about 28,000 t, and today
it has increased by about 80% amounting to approximately 48,000 t. This is similarly also
the case with the Chilean raspberry production (Dominguez, 2006).
Raspberry growing systems have substantially changed over the last several
decades. The bush system was initially employed and followed then by the “ribbon”
system, whereas the most distributed one today is the trellis system. According to Oliveira
et al. (2002), the six different raspberry growing systems used can achieve different yield
results.
Raspberry growing technology in Serbia involves the use of the vertical trellis
system with an interrow distance of 2.0-2.5 m and in-row distance of 0.25-0.33 m (Misic
et al., 2004; Petrovic and Milosevic, 2005; Petrovic and Leposavic, 2005). Excellent
results have been achieved with this growing system and with the use of other cultural
and pomological practices in Serbia in terms of both yield and quality of the crops
obtained. All of the parameters related to the vertical trellis system have been precisely
defined and have, so to say, become standards. Trellis height is the only variable
parameter, being directly dependent on the raspberry cane height and indirectly on soil
fertility, climatic parameters, cultural and pomological practices used.
The aim of the paper was to determine the effect of two different trellis heights on
the yield and yield components in the ‘Willamette’ raspberry cultivar.

Proc. Ist Balkan Symp. on Fruit Growing 389

Eds.: A. Zhivondov et al.
Acta Hort. 825, ISHS 2009
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The experimental investigations were conducted on the ‘Willamette’ cultivar. The
‘Willamette’ cultivar has been, in economical terms, the most significant and the most
distributed raspberry cultivar in all raspberry growing areas in Serbia since the mid-
seventies of the last century. Until recently, it was the leading red raspberry cultivar in the
world (Misic and Nikolic, 2003).
The examinations were conducted over 2004 and 2005 in a raspberry plantation
near Ivanjica at an altitude of 750 m, in a region considered the major raspberry area in
Serbia producing excellent raspberry growing results.
The trial was set up using two different raspberry trellis heights:
1) Variant 1 – trellis height of 185 cm (a standard in quality raspberry plantations in
Serbia),
2) Variant 2 – trellis height of 225 cm (top raspberry ground-harvesting limit).
The following parameters were studied: number of fruiting laterals per cane,
average fruiting lateral length (cm), average fruit mass (g), and yields per row meter
(kg/m) and per unit of area (kg/ha).
The number of fruiting laterals per cane – all fruiting laterals of 80 canes per
variant, were counted (4 replications with 20 canes in each);
The average fruiting lateral length – the length of all fruiting laterals of 20 canes
per variant, was measured (4 replications with 5 canes in each);
The average fruit mass – the weight of 200 fruits per variant, was measured, the
fruits being picked along the trellis height (from the ground surface to the trellis top – 4
replications with 50 fruits in each);
The yield per row meter – the total amount of fruits harvested from 40 m of trellis
per variant, was measured (4 replications with 10 m of trellis each);
Yield per unit of area – obtained through calculations.
The statistical data processing, employing the SPS Statistical programme, was
used to calculate the means of the investigated parameters and to determine the
significance of differences in the investigated parameters between the two trellis heights
in raspberry using the analysis of variance and the least significant difference LSD test for
the probability levels of 95% and 99%.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Number of Fruiting Laterals per Cane and Average Fruiting Lateral Length
The number of fruiting laterals per raspberry cane is mostly dependent on the cane
length, with the average length of the fruiting lateral being different depending on its
position on the raspberry cane, viz. the greatest length on the medium and bottom cane
portions and considerably smaller length on top portions of the cane (Petrovic and
Milosevic, 2005; Petrovic and Leposavic, 2005).
The research results, regarding the number of fruiting laterals per cane and the
average length of the fruiting lateral in the ‘Willamette’ cultivar depending on the trellis
height, are presented in Table 1.
1. Number of Fruiting Laterals per Cane. The results have shown that the number of
fruiting laterals per cane in Variant 1 and Variant 2 was 16.28 and 21.88, respectively.
The difference was statistically highly significant, meaning that the trellis height increase
of 40 cm resulted in an increase in the number of fruiting laterals per cane by a mean of
5.73. This was an expected reaction and result considering the direct dependence of the
number of fruiting laterals on the raspberry cane length, or trellis height.
The results of these investigations are in accordance with the results obtained by
Blagojevic et al. (2005) according to which the number of fruiting laterals substantially
increased with the higher mineral fertilizer rates applied, because the cane length grew
too. Furthermore, the results of this study are almost identical with the results recorded by
Velickovic et al. (2004) according to which the average number of fruiting laterals in the
‘Willamette’ raspberry cultivar, grown in completely suitable conditions, amounted to

390
16.40. A considerably lower number of fruiting laterals per cane in the ‘Willamette’
cultivar was recorded by Marinkovic et al. (2004) – being 10.25, when the cultivar,
however, was grown in unfavorable conditions, which once again served as a
confirmation of the fact that the number of fruiting laterals would primarily depend on the
raspberry cane development.
2. Fruiting Lateral Length. According to the Table 1 results, an average fruiting lateral
length in Variants 1 and 2 was 47.32 cm and 41.86 cm, respectively. The difference was,
as in the previous case, statistically highly significant. A decrease in the average fruiting
lateral length induced by an increase in the cane length resulted from the fruiting laterals
being generally shorter in the top cane portions compared to the ones underneath. The 40-
cm cane length increase (Variant 2) resulted in a higher share of shorter fruiting laterals in
their total number, inducing a decrease in the average length of the fruiting laterals by
5.46 cm compared to Variant 1.

Fruit Mass and Yield

The total raspberry yield and the fruit characteristics are dependent not only on
environmental factors but also, to a high degree, on the growing system used – planting
distance, cane number, cane length, use of pruning, etc. (Milosevic and Petrovic, 2003; El
Zeftawi et al., 2004).
The research results regarding the fruit mass and yield of the ‘Willamette’
raspberry cultivar, depending on the trellis height, are presented in Table 2.
1. Fruit Yield. The average fruit mass in Variant 1 was 3.91 g, and it was lower in
Variant 2, amounting to 3.80 g. The 40-cm trellis height (cane length) increase resulted in
an average fruit mass decrease of 0.11 g or 3%, but the difference was not statistically
significant. The top cane portions, irrespective of the cane height, are characterized by
shorter fruiting laterals and smaller fruits, which is why cane shortening is recommended
(Petrovic and Milosevic, 2005; Petrovic and Leposavic, 2005). It is for these reasons that
the lower fruit mass was obtained at the higher cane lengths. The obtained fruit mass was
similar to that obtained by Velickovic et al. (2004) and Stanisavljevic et al. (2002), but
considerably higher than that obtained by Marinkovic et al. (2004) and Eyduran and
Agagoglua (2006), or considerably lower than in Stanisavljevic et al. (2003), which all
confirmed the dependence of the fruit mass of the ‘Willamette’ raspberry cultivar on a
great number of factors.
2. Yield. The yield per row meter in Variant 1 was 2.87 kg/m or 14.34 t/ha. The yield in
Variant 2 was 3.43 kg/m or 17.15 t/ha. The yield increase in Variant 2 was statistically
highly significant. The total increase in Variant 2 was due to a trellis-height-induced
increase in the yield-affecting parameters, such as cane length and number of fruiting
laterals per cane.
The results of this research are in accordance with the results obtained by
Blagojevic et al. (2005) where the ‘Willamette’ yield, depending on the type and the rate
of the applied mineral fertilizer, ranged from 13.04 to 17.36 t/ha, as well as with the
results by Milivojevic et al. (2005) where the ‘Willamette’ yield varied from 16.22 to
18.18 t/ha when the cultivar was grown in rain fed conditions (without irrigation).
The statistically very significant yield increase achieved in this study, induced by
the cane length increase, was in accordance with the results obtained by Lloyd et al.
(1980), according to which the yield at cane length of 180-210 cm was substantially
higher than the yield at the cane length of 150 cm. Similar results were obtained by
Crandall (1980) who recorded that the raspberry cane number and cane length affected
the raspberry yield very significantly.

CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results presented in this paper, the following conclusions can be
drawn:
The 40-cm trellis height (cane length) increase, compared to the standard height,
or the increase up to the top raspberry ground-harvesting limit induced both an increase in

391
the fruiting lateral number per cane and a 19.6% yield increase.
The increase, on the other hand, gave rise to a decrease in the average fruiting
lateral length as well as to a decrease in the average fruit mass, but the obtained difference
was not statistically significant.
Generally, in the typical raspberry growing regions of Serbia, the yield of the
‘Willamette’ raspberry cultivar can be increased, without adversely affecting fruit
characteristics, through an increase in trellis height.

Literature Cited
Blagojevic, M., Sretenovic, V., Mitrovic, M., Mitrovic, O. and Gavrilovic-Damnjanovic,
J. 2005. Efekti primene nekih djubriva u ishrani maline. Vocarstvo 39(149):43-47.
Crandall, P.C. 1980. Twenty Years of Red Raspberry Research in Southwestern
Washington State. Acta Hort. 112:53-58.
Dominguez, A. 2006. The Berry Industry in Chile and the International Raspberry
Association (IRA). Abstr. 9th Intl. Rubus and Ribes Symposium (ISHS), Santiago.
El-Zeftawi, B.M., Goubran, F.H. and Richards, J.G. 2004. Effects of cutting and cold-
storage of parent canes on cane production of raspberry. Australian J. of Experimental
Agri. 26(4):501-503.
Eyduran Peral, S. and Agaoglu Sabit, Y. 2006. A Preliminary Examination Regarding
Ten Raspberry Cultivars. Res. J. of Agri. and Biol. Sci. 2(6):375-379.
Lloyd Martin, W., Nelson, E. and Chaplin, M.H. 1980. Plant and Fruit Measurements of
Meeker Red Raspberry Related to Pruning Height and Nitrogen Application. Acta
Hort. 112:157-162.
Marinkovic, D., Misic, P., Zec, G. and Colic, S. 2004. Pomoloske sorte maline u
Pancevackom ritu. Jug. Vocarstvo 38(145-146):91-99.
Milivojevic, J., Matovic, G., Bosnjakovic, G., Ruml, M., Gajic, B., Milivojevic, J.,
Zivkovic, M., Cecic, N. and Denic, M. 2005. Uticaj navodnjavanja na prinos maline
sorte Willamette u kisnoj vegetacionoj sezoni. Vocarstvo 39(149):49-59.
Misic, P. and Nikolic, M. 2003. Jagodaste vocke. Institut za istrazivanja u poljoprivredi
„Srbija“, Beograd.
Misic, P., Tesovic, Z., Stanisavljevic, M., Milutinovic, M., Nikolic, M. and Milenkovic,
S. 2004. Malina u Srbiji i Crnoj Gori - proslost, sadasnjost i buducnost. Jug. Vocarstvo
138(145-146):5-22.
Oliveira, P.B., Lopes da Fonseca, L. and Monteiro, A.A. 2002. Combining Different
Growing Techniques for all Year Round Red Raspberry Production in Portugal. Acta
Hort. 585:545-553.
Petrovic, S. and Milosevic, T. 2005. Raspberry from Serbia. Faculty of Agronomy,
Cacak.
Petrovic, S. and Leposavic, A. 2005. Savremena proizvodnja maline. Institut za
istrazivanja u poljoprivredi „Srbija“, Beograd.
Plocharski, W. and Smolarz, K. 2003. Ribes and Rubus Production and Processing in
Poland. Acta Hort. 352:91-104.
Petrovic, S. and Milosevic, T. 2002. Malina - tehnologija i organizacija proizvodnje,
Agronomski fakultet, Cacak.
Stanisavljevic, M., Mitrovic, O. and Gavrilovic-Damnjanovic, J. 2002. Comparative
Studies on Raspberry Cultivars. Acta Hort. 585:241-245.
Stanisavljevic, M., Leposavic, A., Milenkovic, S. and Petrovic, S. 2003. Biolosko –
pomoloske osobine novijih sorti i selekcija maline. Jug. Vocarstvo 37(143-144):123-
129.
Velickovic, M., Vulic, T., Milinkovic Lj. and Stanisavljevic, M. 2004. Vegetativni i
generativni potencijal vaznijih sorti i selekcija maline u agroekoloskim uslovima
dragacevskog malinogorja. Jug. Vocarstvo 38(145-146):101-108.

392
Tables

Table 1. Number of fruiting laterals per cane and average fruiting lateral length of the
‘Willamette’ cultivar depending on the trellis height.

Number of fruiting laterals per Average fruiting lateral length

Trellis height cane (cm)
2004 2005 Mean 2004 2005 Mean
Variant 1 16.15 16.41 16.28 48.01 46.63 47.32
Variant 2 21.70 22.06 21.88 42.20 41.52 41.86
0.05 1.96 1.54
LSD
0.01 3.11 2.85

Table 2. Fruit mass and yield of the ‘Willamette’ raspberry cultivar depending on the
trellis height.

Yield per row metre Yield per unit of area

Fruit mass (g)
Trellis height (kg/m) (t/ha)
2004 2005 Mean 2004 2005 Mean 2004 2005 Mean
Variant 1 3.99 3.83 3.91 2.94 2.80 2.87 14.70 13.98 14.34
Variant 2 3.93 3.67 3.80 3.51 3.35 3.43 17.55 16.75 17.15
0.05 0.12 0.25 1.54
LSD
0.01 0.29 0.51 2.85

393
394