THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TREE SYSTEM AND MACHINE FOR MECHANICAL HARVESTING OF APPLES BY THE COMBING TECHNIQUE

Hedgerow trees grown as 'fruit walls' were pruned to make them suitable for harvesting by a combing technique. The objective was to produce long flexible branches from a main stem no more than 2 m in height. SADH sprayed late in the growing season ensured regular fruit bud production and NAA-ethyl ester (Tre-Hold) was painted on pruning cuts to control upward growth in the tops of the trees. Harvesting was carried out using an over the row straddle-type harvester bearing long stiff fingers covered in foam polyether. At least 89% of Cox and 86% of Golden Delicious was harvested, but although there was little bruising, retention of the apples on the picking fingers was difficult.