PRODUCTIVITY OF PEACH MEADOW ORCHARDS

Peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) meadow orchards (10,000 trees/ha) were established using own rooted scion cuttings. Fruit yields in the second year of orchard life were equal to or higher than from full bearing traditional orchards (7–8 years old). Cutting the trees as part of the harvesting operation resulted in few flower buds and consequently very poor yields the following year. Trees grown as central leaders yielded more, had more uniform fruit distribution, and more red coloration on the fruit surface than multi-leader trees.