ISHS Acta Horticulturae 527: International Symposium on Growth and Development of Fruit Crops
SELECTIVE DISBUDDING FOR TRAINING DWARFED, EARLY BEARING FRUIT TREES |
| Author: | F. Zucconi |
| Keywords: | apple, pear, apricot, plum, correlation, apical dominance, polarity, root factor, superspindle, Tatura trellis |
| Abstract:
Selective disbudding removes buds to leave the remaining ones sufficiently far apart to prevent correlative effects among meristems. When applied to barren maiden trees, disbudding eliminates the competition between shoots and limbs, inducing vigorous, uniform growth and wide crotch angles. Treated plants develop an appropriate framework within the first year after planting, reducing the need for training. Also, trees begin fruiting in the second year, and remain dwarfed (pome fruit, plum) or semi-dwarfed (apricot). Rapid growth and flowering are not antagonistic, in this case, because of the critical distance between growing limbs. This is reminiscent of the organization of the mature plant and anticipates its physiology. The following analysis deals with defining such a critical distance, and applying it in training. | |
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