ISHS Acta Horticulturae 662: VII International Symposium on Temperate Zone Fruits in the Tropics and Subtropics
EFFECT OF PLANTING DISTANCES AND TRAINING SYSTEMS ON LIGHT INTERCEPTION IN HIGH DENSITY PLANTATIONS OF PEACH TREES GROWN UNDER SUBTROPICAL CONDITIONS |
| Authors: | H. Singh, Kanwar J.S. |
| Keywords: | peach, Prunus persica Batsch, HDP, canopy management, radiation, interception |
| Abstract:
The availability and utilization of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) are the important factors that limit plant productivity. Tree size, planting geometry, spacing and training system, all have a dominant effect on the light conditions within the tree canopy. In this investigation, conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab), India from 1999 to 2001, trees of Shan-i-Punjab peach were planted at three spacing viz. 6 x 6 m, 3 x 3 m and 6 x 1.5 m giving populations of 289, 800 and 1111 trees per hectare, respectively. In 3 x 3 m spacing, there were 3 solid rows, separated by a gap of 6 m after every 3 rows. Trees planted at 6 x 6 m and 3 x 3 m were trained to modified leader system and those planted at 6 x 1.5 m were trained to ‘Y’ shaped structure. The trees planted at 6 x 1.5 m spacing intercepted significantly higher (75.1%) mean total radiation during the year as compared to those planted at 6 x 6 m (68.6%) and 3 x 3 m (65.9%) distances. The upper part of the tree canopy intercepted significantly higher percentage of radiation than the middle and lower canopy parts, irrespective of planting distances. The 6 x 1.5 m planted trees intercepted 52.5%, 12.9% and 9.7% of the total irradiance in the upper, middle and lower parts of the tree canopy respectively. The intercepted irradiance in the 6 x 6 m planted trees was 50.4%, 10.9% and 7.3% in the three tree parts mentioned above. The respective intercepted irradiance in the 3 x 3 m planted trees was 49.7%, 9.9% and 6.3%. | |
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