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

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.