RU2660932C1 - Method for forming crown of fruit apple trees - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: agriculture.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to agriculture, in particular, to fruit-growing. Method includes pruning of apple trees grafted onto dwarfish M9 rootstocks, forming a fruit link, and pruning of fruit segments during fruiting period on a stump from a two-year increment and further annual pruning of trees with the "to the stump" renewal of fruit-forming wood with systematic rejuvenation of the fruit-bearing fruit links. In this case, apple trees are planted on M9 or M26 dwarfish stocks. Crown of one-year-old sapling is pruned at a height of 0.8–0.9 m from the soil level. In the first month, after the planting of saplings and evocation of buds, the stem zone is cleaned up to 40–50 cm above the soil level. On the vertical trunk, an extension shoot – central conductor is distinguished, and shoots-competitors are removed "to the ring" at an acute angle. During the vegetation period, shoots of 60–70 cm long are topped with 3-4 leaves. In the spring of the second year, before the beginning of the vegetation, the zone of the stem is cleaned from young shoots, well-grown shoots are cut off at acute angle, 3-4 semi-skeletal branches on the central extension shoot are located at a distance of 10–15 cm from each other, limiting them to 50–60 cm. In the spring of the third year, before the bursting of buds from the shoots formed on the semi-skeletal branches form the fruit links, that is, one-year increment is cut "to the stump" with a height of 8–10 cm and is allowed to grow freely during the current season and all the overgrown branches on the central extension shoot. In winter, from shoots formed on the stump, or in the spring before the bud bursting, one well-grown shoot is shortened for fruiting (if the length of the shoot is more than 60 cm, it is shortened by 1/3), and another shoot is again shortened "to the stump" with a length of 8–10 cm. In the third or fourth year, when the trees begin to bear fruit, they act with the annual shoots that appeared during the growing season in the same way as in the previous years: one is left for fruit-bearing, and the other is cut off "to a stump". In this case, the fruit bearing three-year branch is not removed "to the ring", but cut again "to the stump" and form the fruit links along the entire crown and on all the semi-skeletal branches of the central extension shoot.

EFFECT: method provides annual regular fruiting with high quality fruits.

1 cl, 2 tbl

Description

The invention relates to agriculture, in particular to horticulture, is intended to create early-growing, high-intensity orchards and can be used to grow fruit trees on both weak and medium rootstocks.

A known method of forming the crown of fruit trees in intensive plantings, which involves the formation of the crown of one-, two-year-old seedlings from two horizontally arranged and diametrically directed vertical branches with fruit formations (RU 2072766). In this case, vertical branches are formed with an interval of 15-20 cm and a height of 60 and 80 cm with annual removal of growth formations in them. The method is laborious and requires annual removal of growth formations when they reach a certain length.

There is also known a method of forming a crown, which involves a combination of tier placement of skeletal branches of the first order and the formation of semi-skeletal branches and fouling branches on them with green operations. When forming the crown in the first year, three skeletal branches of the first order are laid, growth shoots with a deviation angle of less than 50 ° are removed, and the shoots are nipped in a direction at right angles to the row spacing. In the second and subsequent years in the same way lay one skeletal branch of the second, third and fourth tiers, placing them in an ascending spiral (RU 2045153). This method of crown formation allows to increase labor productivity during harvesting, but other operations remain laborious.

A known method of forming a crown according to the type of "freely growing spindle". The fusiform shape of the crown was developed in the 60s of the 20th century in Holland. The spindle-shaped crown is intended for intensive orchards with a high density of planting in the plantings of apple trees on the M9 rootstock and dwarf pear varieties on quince. The “spindle” shape is characterized by a central trunk, several strong branches from below and rather weak branches — along the entire trunk to the apex at a height of 2.5 m. At the end of formation, the crown has a conical shape. Mandatory installation of the stake. Trees with this crown shape are placed in the garden at a distance of 1-2 m with aisles of 3-4 m. The most optimal placement according to the scheme is 3-3.25 × 1.25 m. The formation is created by pruning branches with a shortening of one-year, two- and three-year growth . Growing shoots are bent to a horizontal position using additional techniques, for example, they are tied with twine to a peg hammered into the ground (1. Kudryavets RP, Formation and pruning of fruit trees. - M .: Kolos, 1976, p. 58-82. 2. Kopylov V.I., Balykina E.B., Berenshtein I.B., Burlak V.A. et al. Gardening system of the Republic of Crimea. Simferopol: IT "Arial", 2016, p. 121-128).

The disadvantages of the known shape of the crown are: irrational use of the area, high growth of the tree, which makes it difficult to harvest, pruning and other agricultural activities. This type of crown is more difficult to form, since it requires additional labor associated with bending the shoot to a horizontal position with a clothespin, and installing supports to control the load of the crop.

The objective of the claimed invention is the creation of a small compact crown for highly productive intensive plantings on a weak rootstock M9 or M26.

The claimed invention will allow you to create a crown easy to shape and trim. Features of the formation and selection of early varietal-rootstock combinations provide annual regular fruiting with high quality fruits, soften the frequency of fruiting, reduce the total amount of labor to care for such plantations. The small size of the trees will allow you to create intensive plantations with a high planting density (up to 3000 der./ha).

The formation will significantly reduce the labor costs of caring for the crown when pruning trees, when harvesting.

The problem is solved by applying some elements of the formation of a free-growing spindle and the French axis, which was called "Crimean combined."

The formation of the “Crimean combined” crown begins with the kroning of an annual seedling at a height of 0.8-0.9 m from the soil level. In the first month, after the survival of the seedlings and the awakening of the buds, they clean the area of the stem to 40-50 cm above the soil level. On the vertical trunk (hereinafter referred to as the central conductor), a continuation shoot is distinguished, and competitor shoots are removed “to the ring” at an acute angle. During the growing season (June-July), tops of 3-4 leaves are pinched from shoots 60-70 cm long, this makes it possible to appear additional branches, accelerates the process of ripening of wood and laying fruit buds. Until the end of the growing season, seedlings grow freely.

In the spring of the second year, before the start of the growing season, they clean the area of the stem from the shoots, cut vigorous shoots at an acute angle, select 3-4 semi-skeletal branches on the central conductor, which are located at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, limiting them to 50-60 cm , and left to grow freely. During the growing season (June-August) there is no need to carry out any green operations.

In the spring of the third year, before buds open, from the shoots formed on the semi-skeletal branches, fruit links are formed, i.e. annual growth is cut off "on a stump" with a height of 8-10 cm and all growing branches on the central conductor are left to grow freely during the growing season of the current year. In winter, from shoots formed on a stump, or in spring before buds open, one well-developed shoot is shortened to bear fruit (if the shoot is longer than 60 cm, it is shortened by 1/3), and the other shoot is again shortened “on a stump” 8-10 cm long The number of fruit units on one half-skeletal branch should not exceed 3-4 pcs. depending on the shoot-forming ability of the variety. If 4-5 shoots grow on the “hemp”, weak and vertically growing shoots leave, shoots located closer to the horizontal position are left. On the central conductor, strong shoots up to 70 cm long are shortened by 2/3 of the length, up to 60 cm - by 1/3 of their length to provoke additional branches with the aim of forming fruit links throughout the trunk.

In the third or fourth year, the trees begin to bear fruit, with annual shoots that appeared during the growing season, they do the same as in previous years: one is left for fruiting, and the other is cut “for a stump”, fouling wood grows freely. The thawed three-year branch is not removed “into the ring”, but cut back “into the stump” and fruit links are formed throughout the crown and on all half-skeletal branches of the central conductor as described above.

During fruiting, the continuation shoots on semi-skeletal branches and the central conductor are also limited to pruning, and if necessary, extra fruit links are cut to the ring. It is impossible to thicken a tree too weakly or too strongly with fruit links, since during shading the fruit bud poorly differentiates, thereby reducing yield and increasing the cost of pruning.

The “Crimean combined” crown shape allows us to achieve all the goals listed above and eliminate the disadvantages inherent in other formations, in particular the free spindle formation. When forming the “Crimean combined” crown, there is no need for green operations and rationing of fruits, which reduces the costs of forming and trimming as compared with a free-growing spindle (Table 1). The use of cyclic pruning makes it possible to obtain annual crops and high-quality fruits (tab. 2), as well as maintain an equal ratio of vegetative and generative formations. A systematic replacement of overgrown wood in the crown is mandatory to maintain the small size of the trees, regular yield and high quality fruits. Pruning is simple and accessible even to an unskilled gardener, it is only important that he can distinguish the age of the branches. Additional measures to limit the size of the tree and regulate their growth are not required. In appearance, the “Crimean combined” resembles a slender spindle - a straight vertical trunk 2.5-3.0 m high with constant short periodically updated fouling and semi-skeletal fruit branches. Single-row landing according to the scheme 3.5 × 1.25-1.75 m, depending on the growth strength of the privately-rootstock combination.

Claims (1)

A method of forming the crown of apple tree fruit trees, including pruning apple trees grafted onto dwarf rootstocks M9, forming a fruit link and pruning fruit links during fruiting on a stump from a two-year growth, further annual pruning of trees with updating of fruit-forming wood “on a stump” with systematic rejuvenation of fruit-bearing fruit links, characterized in that the apple trees are grafted onto dwarf rootstocks of M9 or M26, the annual seedling is crowned at a height of 0.8-0.9 m from the soil level, in the first month after being planted the seedlings and the awakening of the buds, they clean the stump area up to 40-50 cm above the soil level, a continuation shoot - the central conductor is isolated on the vertical trunk, and competing shoots are sharply removed “onto the ring” during the growing season with shoots 60-70 long cm pinch the top of 3-4 leaves; in the spring of the second year, before the start of the growing season, the shoot area is cleaned from the shoots, vigorous shoots are cut out at an acute angle, 3-4 half-skeleton branches are distinguished on the central conductor, which are located at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, limiting them to 50-60 cm; in the spring of the third year, before buds open up, shoots are formed from shoots formed on half-skeletal branches, that is, annual growth is cut off "on a stump" 8-10 cm high and left to grow freely throughout the growing season of the current year and all fouling branches on the central conductor; in winter, from shoots formed on a stump, or in spring before buds open, one well-developed shoot is shortened to bear fruit (if the shoot is more than 60 cm long, it is shortened by 1/3), and the other shoot is again shortened “by a stump” 8-10 cm long ; in the third and fourth years, when the trees begin to bear fruit, with the annual shoots that appeared during the growing season do the same as in previous years: one is left for fruiting, and the other is cut “on a stump”, while the fruiting three-year-old branch is not removed on the ring ”, and cut again“ on the stump ”and form fruit links throughout the crown and on all half-skeletal branches of the central conductor.