Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science · 1976 · 31 citations · 0 references
AgricultureAgronomyHorticultural SciencesFruit SciencePostharvest PhysiologyTree-crop InteractionsFruit GrowthFruit PhysiologyFruitfulness AssessmentPruning SeverityPruning StrategiesFruit Tree GrowthFruiting StagePruningPruning Severity ControlSeasonal Shoot GrowthShoot Growth Vigor
Abstract Vigorous branches of apple ( Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Delicious) were headed-back into previous season's growth (1-year-old wood). Increased pruning severity (removal of a greater fraction of 1-year-old wood) resulted in increased shoot growth from 1- and 2-year-old branch segments. Fruitfulness decreased as pruning severity increased. Heading-back altered the distribution of growth between 1- and 2-year-old segments of horizontal and downward-oriented branches but resulted in a total increase in growth only in vertically-oriented branches.