The Efficiency of Tree Crown Form – Improved Bush for the Fruit Stone Species

Abstract

Scientific investigations are carried out in different countries in order to elaborate new tree crown forms or to improve the existing ones with the purpose of increasing the productivity of plum, apricot and cherry plantations and reduce the expenses for their cultivation. The goal of the accomplished investigations was to increase the productivity of plum, apricot and cherry plantations and the economic efficiency of fruit trees trained according to a new type of crown form – improved bush. It was established that the studied crown form is more efficient compared with the existing ones. Despite the fact that capital investment for the establishment of plantations with trees trained according to improved bush is higher, the term of return on it is shorter. The obtained annual profit and profitableness level for the plum and cherry production were the highest in the variant of improved bush with 5 branches and constituted respectively 50,43-57,93 and 38,06-56,58 thousand lei/ha with a profitableness level of 281-317 and 158-170%. The most efficient variant of apricot production was obtained in the plantations with trees trained according to improved bush with 4 branches, where the recorded profit was of 45,55-61,66 thousand lei/ha and the profitableness level of 387-403%, depending on the variety.