ISHS Acta Horticulturae 285: Symposium on Integrated Fruit Production
THE RESPONSE OF APPLE TREES TO ORCHARD FLOOR MANAGEMENT |
| Authors: | M.L. Parker, J. Hull Jr |
| Abstract:
Empire apple trees were planted in 1986 in Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacra Schreb.) and Reliant Hard Fescue (Festuca ovina ssp. duriuscula (L.) Koch.) sods which were sown 0, 0.36, 1.49, 3.72, 5,58 and 7.44 sq. m2 vegetation-free area around the trees. The herbicide, gramoxone, was applied at 30-day intervals during the growing season to maintain the vegetation-free areas. A vegetation-free area around the trees resulted in increased shoot growth and trunk cross-sectional area. Differences between treatments occured the year of planting and greater differences resulted in the second and third growing seasons. Treatments providing the greatest vegetation-free area resulted in the greatest amount of growth. These treatments also had greater soil moisture under the trees. The complete and Kentucky Tall Fescue treatment resulted in less tree growth than the complete sod Reliant Hard Fescue treatment. | |
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