PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE EFFECTS OF TREE TRAINING ON THREE PEAR CULTIVARS AND QUINCE SIZE-CONTROLLING ROOTSTOCKS

In 1987, an experiment was initiated on a fine sandy loam soil at Vineland, Ontario, Canada, to compare the effects of three training systems (modified leader, free palmette, and mini-tutura). Trees on ‘Anjou’, ‘Bartlett’, and ‘Flemish Beauty’ pear cultivars were planted on Quince A and C and Provonce C131.

Blossoms were counted and removed in the 1988–90 seasons. Tree training system had no effect on the number of flower clusters per tree, flower density, or number of florets per cluster. Quince C resulted in more clusters per tree and greater flower density than C134. The number of florets per cluster was not significantly different between rootstocks. Bartlett produced the most flower clusters per tree and greatest flower density. ‘Anjou’ exhibited more florets per cluster than ‘Bartlett’ and ‘Flemish Beauty’.

Cultivars exhibited different vigor under training systems. ‘Anjou’ produced smaller trees (cm²/trunk cross-sectional area) on mini-tutura than supported and palmette, whereas ‘Bartlett’ trees were smaller with mini-tutura than other training systems. Training systems had no effect on vigor of ‘Flemish Beauty’. The tree vigor measured by the cross-sectional area (cm²) was greater for QA and C134 than QC.