MECHANICAL PRUNING OF FRUIT TREES

It is not possible to generalize about either the techniques or equipment: in order to choose the proper method of pruning, many factors must be considered, such as intensity and time of cutting, species, variety, density of planting, age, shape, height and size of trees.

Topping and hedging by sickle-bar or saw-bar is not necessarily the only way of mechanical pruning; various combinations between "surface" pruning and deep, horizontal or slot cutting into the tree, may be suitable for some species (like apple and peach). In addition to it, the new winter shake-pruning could have some possibilities at least for pear trees, but further research is needed in this direction.

Generally, dwarf and semi-dwarf trees, trained in thin hedgerows, can be mechanically pruned more easily than single large trees.

In relation to the reduction of fruit quality and the increasing cost of follow-up hand pruning and fruit thinning, apple trees withstand mechanical pruning better than pear trees, and the latter better than peach trees.

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