Growth, fruit-bearing and economic efficiency of the training systems Slender Spindle, Solen and Vertical Axis, used in the apple cultivars 'Braeburn' and 'Granny Smith' on M9 rootstock

摘要

The experimental plantation was established in the territory of the Fruit-Growing Institute in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, with geographic coordinates of 42° 9' N latitude, 24° 45' Е longitude and 160 meters altitude. The study was carried out during the period 2013-2015, i.e. third-fifth vegetation of the trees, covering the first three fruiting seasons. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the training systems Slender Spindle, Solen and Vertical Axis on growth and fruiting characteristics of the apple cultivars 'Braeburn' and 'Granny Smith', grafted on M9 rootstock and grown under the conditions of Bulgaria.The results obtained show that the average and cumulative yields per ha were higher when Vertical Axis training method was used compared to Slender Spindle and Solen training systems. That was due to the better reproductive habits of trees in that variant, as well as to the larger number of trees per ha. Vertical axis system is cost-effective in the initial fruiting period contrary to Slender Spindle and Solen training systems to the cultivars 'Braeburn' and 'Granny Smith'.Under the conditions of our country, tree training to Vertical Axis method is recommended for 'Braeburn' and 'Granny Smith' apple cultivars grafted on M9 rootstocks.