Analysis and modelling of fruit tree axillary shoot and flowering distribution

摘要

To characterize the behaviour of fruit trees from morphological features, the distribution of axillary production along shoots were compared. Vegetative shoots borne along apple tree trunks and the associations between vegetative and floral buds on1 year-old peach shoots were studied. Growth units were represented by sequences whose index parameter was the rank of the node. The nature of axillary production and several qualitative or quantitative variables were taken into account at each successive node. The computation of a distance between individual sequences was proposed which led to an analysis of the variability of the sequences within each sample. In addition, from an exploratory analysis of the observed sequences, parametric models were built to summarize and characterize the organization of the growth units. The homogeneity and separability of the behaviour of branching for 7 apple cultivars were studied with a paired comparison of the sequences, taking into account the cultivar. Flowering distributions on various peach tree shoots were analysed. When applied to the branching of young apple scions, the model made it possible to characterize zones where nodes would bear long shoots. It was possible to evaluate the growth and branching potential of scions in the nursery and to specify what interventions were necessary in training. Flower distribution on peach shoots was related to the vigour of the shoot, and the distribution of floriferous zones could be predicted by the model.