Root Pruning and Trunk Scoring Have Limited Effect on Young Bearing Apple Trees

Abstract

To control excessive growth, vigorous `Smoothee Golden Delicious', `Jonagold', `Empire', and `Gala' apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cultivars on Malling 7A (M.7A) rootstock planted at close in-row spacing (2.5 or 1.8 m) were mechanically root-pruned (RP), trunk-scored (TS; ringing), or both, annually for 3 to 5 years beginning in the fourth leaf. Trees were grown in a deep, well-drained, fertile soil and supplied with trickle irrigation. RP reduced terminal shoot length in 2 of 5 years on `Smoothee Golden Delicious'; trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA) was not affected by RP. TS reduced terminal length in 3 years and TCSA in each of 5 years of treatment on `Smoothee Golden Delicious'. Bloom density was not affected by RP on `Smoothee Golden Delicious' but was increased by TS in two of the three years measured. RP reduced terminal shoot length in `Gala', `Empire', and `Jonagold' in most years and TCSA in 1993 for all cultivars. TS had no effect on shoot length or TCSA in these three cultivars. Effects of RP and TS on yield and fruit size varied with year and cultivar. In general, the effects of RP and TS were inconsistent and often failed to reduce shoot growth or canopy spread. No practical advantage was recognized from these techniques for young apple trees growing on a fertile site with trickle irrigation.