Training and Pruning

Basics
Strong Tree Framework
Facilitate Management
Harvest Sunlight Efficiently
Maintain Productivity

Balanced
Renewal
What happens if you do not prune?

 Faster growth
 Earlier fruiting

 Less light
penetration
 Poor spray coverage
 More difficult to
manage
 Objectives of training
 A. Establish a strong tree framework
 B.Facilitate management of tree and
crop
 C. Harvest sunlight efficiently
 D. Maintain productivity
 by renewing fruiting wood
Balanced
Renewal
 A. Establish a Strong Tree Framework

 Upright vertical
Structural Wood
trunk

 Welldistributed
scaffolds

 Wide crotch angles

Establish a Strong Tree Framework

Well Distributed Scaffolds

Vertical trunk
Establish a Strong Tree Framework

 Wide branch angles are

stronger

 Narrow angles are weak

and increase shading
inside canopy
 A Strong Tree Framework:

 Major objective of the first three years

 Must last the lifetime of the tree
 Structural support for fruit crop
 Should not be crowded
B. Facilitate Management of the
Tree and Crop

 Height of primary scaffolds

 Distribute scaffolds well
 Tree uniformity
 Tree size
 Facilitate Management:
1. Height of Primary Scaffolds

 Access to tree base

◦ Irrigation, herbicides, fertilizers

 Allowair movement to
minimize disease
pressure
 Facilitate Management:
2. Distribute Scaffolds Well
 Easyentry to tree
 Thinning, pruning,
harvesting
 Good pesticide
coverage
 Facilitate Management:
3. Tree Uniformity

 Easier
to train
employees

 Mechanization
possible
 Facilitate Management:
4. Tree Size
 Small trees are easier to
work
 No ladders needed
 Easy to reach all parts of tree

 Better spray penetration

 Facilitate Management of the Tree and
Crop
 Optimize height of primary scaffolds
◦ Allow space at tree base
 Distribute scaffolds well
◦ Do not over crowd scaffolds
 Tree uniformity
 Limit tree size with summer and
winter pruning
 C. Harvest Sunlight Efficiently

 Maximize surface area of

orchard covered by canopy

 Limit canopy depth

 Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:
1. Maximize surface area of orchard
covered by canopy
Most rapid in high density plantings
 Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:
2. Limit Canopy Depth
100 50%
90
% Light Penetration

80
70 30%
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Canopy Depth (feet)

Light Intensity Decreases Within the Tree Canopy

 Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:
2. Limit Canopy Depth
Photosynthesis Decreases at Lower Light Levels

100
90
80
Photosynthesis

70
% Maximum

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
% Full Sunlight
 Harvest Sunlight Harvest
Efficiently:

Poor Light Intensity Leads to

 Poor fruit color
 Poor fruit distribution
◦ Less fruit bud development

 Poor fruit size

 Poor fruit flavor
Harvest Sunlight Efficiently: Poor Light
Intensity Leads to poor Color
100
90
80
70
% Red Color

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
% Full Sunlight
Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:
Light Intensity Affects Fruit Color and Size
Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:
Light Intensity Affects Fruit Color and Size
 Harvest Sunlight Efficiently: Light
Intensity and Fruit Size

Fruit size (grams)

% Light Penetration
 Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:
Light
% Light Intensity and Fruit %
Penetration Distribution
Fruit Distribution
 Harvest Sunlight Efficiently:
Light Intensity and Fruit Flavor
% Light Penetration % Soluble Solids
 Harvest Sunlight Efficiently

 Maximize Orchard Floor Covered with

Canopy
 Limit canopy depth to 1.0 m.
 Expose all parts of the canopy with at
least 50% sunlight
 D. Maintain Productivity
Sustain maximum bearing area for maximal time

Balanced
Renewal
 D. Maintain Productivity

 Maintain light distribution in canopy

 Remove unproductive wood
 Maintain good vegetative/fruit balance
 Maintain Productivity:
Maintain light distribution in canopy

 Only sun-exposed areas

produce quality fruit
 Limit canopy depth to 1.0
m.
 Control tree size
 Unless control tree size the
fruit moves up every year
 Lower part of tree will be
shaded
 Maintain Productivity:
Remove Unproductive Wood
 Fruiting wood which hangs down
 Fruiting wood which is shaded
 Water sprouts and root suckers
 Diseased or damaged wood
 Weak or thin wood
Maintain Productivity:
Remove Unproductive
Wood
Remove
weak or thin
wood
Maintain Productivity:
Remove Unproductive
Wood
Remove
weak or thin
wood
 Maintain Productivity:
Maintain good vegetative:fruit
balance

Thin out excessively vigorous

vegetative growth during summer
Allows light into center of tree
 Maintain Productivity:
Maintain good vegetative/fruit balance

 Remove excessive fruiting wood

 In peaches - remove 40-60% of
new fruiting wood each year
 Conclusions:
How should you train your trees?
 Many approaches work
 Open center is most common for peaches
 Central leader is most common for pome fruit

 Find a program that works and stick to it

 Conclusions:
How should you train your trees?
 Keep in mind the four objectives
 Establish a strong tree framework
 Facilitate management of tree and crop
 Harvest sunlight efficiently
 Maintain productivity by balanced renewal
 Tools used in Tree Training

 Manipulation of apical
dominance
 Controlled by the plant hormone auxin
 Produced by actively growing shoots
 Moves down the branch with gravity
 Effects of auxin

Inhibits lateral
bud break
Inhibits lateral
shoot growth
Affects branch
angle
 Pruning
Remove the Source of Auxin

 Heading Cut
Remove part of
the branch
Stimulatebud
break near cut
Stimulate
localized
branching
 Pruning
Remove the Source of Auxin
 Thinning cut
 Remove branch at point of
origin
 Least invigorating cut
 Promote light penetration into
canopy
 Maintenance pruning
 Bend Branch Towards Horizontal

 Decreases amount of auxin moving from tip

Bend to a 45 to
60 degree angle

Increase lateral branching

Decrease terminal growth
 Bend Branch Towards Horizontal
 Decreases amount of auxin moving from tip

Bend below the

horizontal

Increase lateral branching

Buds at highest point break
Decrease terminal growth
 Timing of pruning

 Dormant pruning
 Most common approach
 Summer pruning
 Works well in combination with dormant pruning
 Open up the tree to allow light into center
 Pruning Response Varies with Tree

 Different varieties/crops grow differently

 Spur types in apples
 Vigor level of the tree
 Age of the tree
 Rootstock
 Fertility/irrigation/soil constraints
 Small fruited vs. large fruited crops