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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #35951
Title: PROXIMITY OF SOD TO YOUNG PEACH TREES AFFECTS THE CROTCH ANGLE OF PRIMARY SCAFFOLDS

Author
item Welker Jr, William
item Glenn, David

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/23/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Upright branches with narrow angles are structurally weaker than horizontal branches and cannot hold a heavy fruit load without breakage. Narrow angled branches are also more prone to winter injury and disease than wide-angled branches. We found that the closer the proximity of sod to the tree, the more upright the branches grew. Maintaining a large vegetation-free area beneath young peach trees increas early growth, and resulted in stronger branch development to support heavy fruit loads.

Technical Abstract: The influence of sod proximity was evaluated on the crotch angle of the primary scaffold limbs of young peach trees (Prunus persica L. Batsch.). The closer the sod proximity to the tree, the more upright the scaffold limb growth.