Innovations in apple tree cultivation to manage crop load and ripening

Description

This chapter is a summary of recent innovation in orchard training system design, pruning technique, thinning, plant growth regulators and fruit finishing, with the specific goal of identifying more sustainable practice. New training systems like the ‘bi-axis’ are described as well as pruning techniques to minimize the use of labour. It is now possible to purchase specific typologies of tree that are more congruent with the training, which will minimize the operation of planting and can help achieve early production. New uses of plant growth regulators to manipulate tree growth and fruit finish are also analysed

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Training systems 3 Pruning techniques related to the cultivar habit 4 Mechanical pruning and ‘ Mur Fruitier ’ 5 Crop load determination and effect on fruit quality 6 Tree production in the nursery 7 Control of vegetative growth using plant growth regulators (PGRs) 8 The physiological basis of chemical thinning: current situation and new perspectives 9 Improving fruit appearance 10 Pre-harvest application of plant growth regulators 11 Future trends in research 12 Where to look for further information 13 References