Profitable Stonefruit Research

Introduction and experiment design

Investigations in the Stonefruit Field Laboratory for Experiments 3 - 10

Manipulating fruit number per tree offers the ability to regulate available carbohydrates (assimilates), to maximize fruit size and fruit quality.

Cropload fruiting level treatments being investigated are high, medium and low cropload targets:

  • high cropload level is minimally thinned fruit treatment to maximize competition between the fruit and available assimilate.
  • medium fruiting level is a moderately thin fruit treatment to minimize competition between fruit and available assimilate, and
  • low cropload level is heavily thinned fruit to eliminate competition between fruit and available assimilate.
Introduction to research - see videos for Peach, Nectarine, Apricot and Plum experiments:

Introduction: Peach cv. August Flame on Vertical Leader tree training

Experiment 3

Introduction: Peach cv. August Flame on Tatura trellis tree training

Experiment 4

Introduction: Nectarine cv. Autumn Bright on Tatura Trellis tree training

Experiment 5

Introduction: Nectarine cv. Autumn Bright on Vertical Leader tree training

Experiment 6

Introduction: Apricot cv. Golden May on Vase and Tatura trellis tree training

Experiments 7 & 8

Introduction: Plum cv. Angeleno May on Vase and Tatura trellis tree training

Experiments 9 & 10

Table 1 Canopy crop-load experiments

Exp.FruitRoostockTreatmentTrainingDensityDate
planted
3Peach cv. August FlameNemaguardCrop Load (high, medium, low)Vertical Leader2222 trees/ha2013
4Peach cv. August FlameNemaguardCrop Load (high, medium, low)Tatura Trellis2222 trees/ha2013
5Nectarine cv. Autumn BrightNemaguardCrop Load (high, medium, low)Tatura Trellis2222 trees/ha2013
6Nectarine cv. Autumn BrightNemaguardCrop Load (high, medium, low)Vertical Leader2222 trees/ha2013
7Apricot cv. Golden MayMyrobalan H29CCrop Load (high, medium, low)Tatura Trellis2222 trees/ha2014
8Apricot cv. Golden MayMyrobalan H29CCrop Load (high, medium, low)Vase2222 trees/ha2014
9Plum cv. AngelenoMyrobalan H29CCrop Load (high, medium, low)Tatura Trellis2222 trees/ha2014
10Plum cv. AngelenoMyrobalan H29CCrop Load (high, medium, low)Vase2222 trees/ha2014