PRODUCTIVITY AND TREE GROWTH IN HIGH DENSITY PEACH ORCHARD

Although tree size has continued to increase, peach trees reached full productive age in higher-high and lower-high density orchards in 1995. The fruit production per tree was positively correlated to tree size. Tree weight and fruit production in higher-high density (HHD) orchard (2500 trees / ha) were lower than those in lower-high density (LHD) orchard (1250 trees / ha). The productivity, or the ratio of tree growth (wood growth) to fruit production, was higher in HHD orchard than in LHD orchard every year. The productivity of smaller trees was higher than that of larger trees.