Influence of the crown formation system on the growth and fruiting of sweet cherry in an intensive cultivation system

Abstract

In recent years, the fruit growers of the Republic of Moldova began to actively create industrial cherry plantations, planting modern varieties grafted on medium and weak vegetative propagated rootstocks. However, an intensive system of cherry growing requires the use of completely new forms of tree crowns. The purpose of this study was a comprehensive study of new formations in an intensive system of sweet cherry cultivation for the ecological conditions of Moldova, contributing to the rapid entry of trees into fruiting and an increase in the productivity of sweet cherry plantations. The experimental garden was planted in the spring of 2016 with the Kordia and Regina cultivars grafted on the Gisela 6 rootstock, 7 crown forms were studied: Vogel Central Leader (control), Tiered palmette, Spanish bush, KGB system, UFO, Free-growing Spindle, Tall Spindle Axe. In total, for 2 years of fruiting, the formation of Longline palmette turned out to be the most productive per tree. The highest yield per unit area was harvested for the Regina cultivar when forming trees according to the Tall Spindle Axe with the placement of 2500 trees per hectare, amounting to 34.1 t / ha.