Influence of planting density on yield of peach and nectarine

Abstract

The influence of three different planting densities on yield of three peach cultivars: ‛Early O’ Henry’, ‛Sunprince’, and ‛Autumn Glo’, and two nectarine cultivars: ‘Vinčanka’ (clone of ‛Stark Redgold’) and ‛Max 7’ was studied during three-year period (2009-2011). In high density planting, seedlings of vineyard peach were planted at the space of 3.5 x 1 m (2,800 trees ha-1) and grafted at the height of 50 cm. The trees were trained as a new original training system named ‘Sloping Leader’ that is characterized with a central leader that is bent and follows row direction at an angle of 25° to the trunk. In standard experimental plot, one-year old peach trees were planted and trained as ‘Fusetto’ form (4 x 2 m; 1,250 trees ha-1) and Open Vase (4 x 4 m, 625 trees ha-1). The following characteristics were studied: yield per tree and unit area (ha), as well as yield efficiency based on trunk cross-sectional area and on crown projection area. In the first three years of cropping significantly higher yields were achieved in the high-density planting system. Yield efficiency expressed based on the crown projection area, was also significantly higher in the high-density planting system.