Influence of the planting distance and the crown shape on the fruit harvest and the productive potential of cherry trees in a high-density system

Abstract

Cherry technology is permanently modernized due to new varieties, vegetal rootstocks and new tree management systems. The cherry varieties cv Bigarreau Burlat, cv Ferrovia and cv Lapins, grafted on Gisela 6 (Prunus cerasus × Prunus canescens) rootstock, were studied in the southern fruit tree area of the Republic of Moldova at distances of 5x1,5 m; 5x2,0 m; 5x2,5 m. The trees were led after the Natural reduced-volume crown and Slender Spindle Ameliorated form. The cherry trees start to fructify in the fourth year after planting; the largest total fruit production from the tree was obtained in the variant with planted trees at distance of 5x2,5 m, and per hectare, when the trees were planted at a distance of 5x1,5 m. In the fourth year of fructification, the production of cv Ferrovia cherry, where the trees were conducted after the Natural reduced-volume crown yield 15368-18155 kg/ha, and at the time the Slender Spindle Ameliorated form, was 16904 - 20074 kg/ha. Although the results are preliminary, it seems that high-density planting systems combined with low-power vegetal rootstocks and improved crowns can give higher yields of cherries in the first 4 years than the traditional crown system with low volume.