THE TATURA TRELLIS - A HIGH INTENSITY APRICOT ORCHARD FOR EARLY AND HIGH PRODUCTION

The major factors limiting apricot production in Australia are irregular bearing, low yields and poor economic returns. As a result, there has been a reduction in tree numbers over the last 10 years. At the Irrigation Research Institute, Tatura, a high density system was developed where trees are grown at a density of 1 670 to 2 000 trees/ha, trained on a V-shaped trellis to maximise bearing area. Training of the trees usually takes 3 years. The system has induced early cropping and sustained high yields with a range of fruit crops.

Results of experiments since 1976 and commercial-experience have shown that apricot trees can be trained and grown very successfully on the Tatura trellis. Results with the cultivar Trevatt - grown mainly for canning, but also utilised as fresh fruit and for drying - have shown that trees grown on the trellis can produce fruit in the second year after planting and reach full bearing in the fifth year. When fully established, the average annual yield was almost 3 times higher than the district average in orchards with widely spaced (300 trees/ha) free standing trees.

Economic assessment of the Tatura trellis for apricots has shown that while this trellis was more expensive to establish and maintain than conventional plantings, returns more than compensated for the increased costs.