DIFFERENT RESPONSE OF TWO GOLDEN DELICIOUS CLONES TO JUNCTION HEIGHT VARIATIONS AND THREE PLANTING DENSITIES

Junction height is one of the important factors in control of fruit tree vigour. Our objective was to show how small variations in junction height combined with planting distance influence tree vigour. Planting "in row" distances were 1.00, 1.25 and 1.50 m with 3.80 m between rows. 'Golden Delicious' clone 'B' showed increasing negative influence of junction height on stem diameter, tree height and tree width with decreasing planting density. As planting density decreased from 1.00 to 1.25 and 1.50 m, negative correlation between junction height and stem diameter (r= -0.2374, -0.3537, -0.4472), junction height and tree height (r= -0.3796, -0.4616, -0.5309), junction height and tree width (r= -0.2884, -0.3119, -0.3728) grew bigger respectively. ‘Golden Delicious’ clone 'Reinders' showed the opposite pattern. Decreasing planting density caused decreasing influence of junction height on tree vigour, especially on tree height (r= -0.6227, -0.4669, -0.3728, respectively). The correlation coefficient (r) was more significant with higher planting densities for Clone B, while Reinders had a more significant correlation coefficient with lower planting densities. Future investigations of tree vigour control should take into account possible clonal effects.