HEDGEROW ORIENTATION AFFECTS CANOPY EXPOSURE, FLOWERING, AND FRUITINGOF ANJOU PEAR TREES

Citation
H. Khemira et al., HEDGEROW ORIENTATION AFFECTS CANOPY EXPOSURE, FLOWERING, AND FRUITINGOF ANJOU PEAR TREES, HortScience, 28(10), 1993, pp. 984-987
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Horticulture
Journal title
ISSN journal
00185345
Volume
28
Issue
10
Year of publication
1993
Pages
984 - 987
Database
ISI
SICI code
0018-5345(1993)28:10<984:HOACEF>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
Mature hedgerows of 'Anjou' pear (Pyrus communis L.) trees, planted no rth (N)-south (S) or east (E)-west (W), were used to study the effect of hedgerow orientation OD fruiting and canopy exposure. In 1990, flow er bud density tended to be lower on the E-W rows, especially on their N sides. Fruit set (FS) was highest on the S side of E-W rows and low est on the N side, while the E and W sides of the N-S rows were interm ediate. Crop density (CD) had a similar pattern as FS, with more fruit on the S than on the N side of the E-W rows. CD was more evenly distr ibuted between the sides on the N-S hedgerows. Differences in FS and C D between sides were related to different levels of sunlight intercept ion. Light exposure was lowest on the N sides of the E-W rows and high est on the S sides throughout the growing season and especially toward the equinoxes. Increased exposure to the sun on the S and W sides lat e in the season led to more fruit with solar injury. Fruit from E-W ro ws were larger and less firm. Accumulated yields over 11 years showed a 21.4% increase in the N-S rows over those of the E-W rows.