Training System Effect on Fruit Quality, Yield, Harvest Efficiency, Pruning Times and Growth in Sweet Cherries

Abstract

The sweet cherry tree grows strong and upright due to its natural structure. For this reason, it is not easy to carry out commercial production without interfering with the growth of the tree. With the discovery of dwarf rootstocks in sweet cherries, new training systems have emerged. In recent years, the use of high density training systems for cherries has been increasing worldwide. Tree management in high density training systems requires regular renewal of temporary fruit branches and shoots rather than permanent fruit branches. Thus, trees spend their nutritional resources on creating flowers and fruits rather than on building trunk and skeletal structure. The study was carried out in Ondokuz May & imath;s University, T & uuml;rkiye, in 2018-2020. Nursery trees of the '0900 Ziraat' sweet cherry cultivar grafted onto Gisela 6 rootstock were planted in 2014. The study aimed to compare the Vogel Central Leader (VC), Super Slender Axe (SSA), Upright Fruiting Offshoot (UFO), Tall Spindle Axe (TSA), and Kym Green Bush (KGB) training systems in terms of growth, yield, harvest efficiency, and pruning times. Among the five systems according to years, the least tree volume was obtained from the UFO training system (respectively 1.7, 1.9 m3). During the 3-year trial period, the highest yield per hectare was obtained from the KGB, TSA, and UFO systems. The average highest harvest efficiency was obtained from the KGB (36.5 kg h-1) and UFO (36.1 kg h-1) systems, and the least from the SSA (22.1 kg h-1) system. Among the training systems, the shortest pruning times (winter and summer) were obtained from the UFO system. As a result, these training systems, which are suitable for high density, make harvesting and pruning easier and reduce labor.