SOD COMPETITION IN PEACH PRODUCTION .1. MANAGING SOD PROXIMITY

Mature peach trees were grown in six different-sized vegetation-free a reas (VFAs) (0.36 to 13 m(2)) with and without stage 3 drip irrigation for 6 years. As VFA size increased, so did the trunk cross-sectional area, canopy diameter, total yield/tree, large fruit yield/tree, and p runing weight/tree. The yield efficiency of total fruit and large frui t initially increased with the increasing size of VFAs and then remain ed stable over the range of VFAs. Applying supplemental irrigation inc reased yield of large fruit and leaf N percentage in all VFAs. Cold ha rdiness was not affected by VFA size or irrigation treatment, The smal ler VFAs resulted in smaller, equally efficient trees. Sod management was an effective, low-cost approach to controlling peach tree size, an d, when combined with irrigated, high-density production, potentially increased productivity.