In the manual, trees are planted at two very high densities. Each tree has two leaders trained on a trellis.
Orchard layout (cont from last issue)
In the manual, trees are planted at two very high densities. Each tree has two leaders trained on a trellis.
Trees alternate left and right in a double row, forming two V-shaped 2D-canopies in each row and leaning 22.5 degrees to vertical.
Each canopy is 2.20 m tall in summer (measured vertically).
Tree canopy and shape
With reduced tree height you do not need to compromise between yield efficiency and ease of working and spraying.
Marketable yields improve as tree height is reduced from 1.2 times to 1 time between row space.
As well as the importance of tree height relative to between row spacings, within-row light penetration into the lower canopy is important.
Above about 2 to 2.5 m in the row there needs to be gaps between the trees to allow sunlight into the lower canopy. These are important factors to consider when you prune.
Maintaining narrow inclined canopies with shallow depths in all the directions from which sunlight may be coming, is a sound principle that is a feature of several V-shaped orchard designs, including Tatura Trellis, Open Tatura, V trellis, Y-trellis and the Auvil-trellis.
In these productive orchards all fruit bearing areas are never far from an outside surface of the tree.
Because of their unique geometric shape, the formula for the maximum permissible tree canopy height in mid-summer, is 60 percent of the actual width of the rows, measured vertically.
Tree structure
The simple tree structure is designed to achieve crop loads with accuracy, simplicity and consistency.
With the Open-Tatura Ground-Level Production System, the accuracy, simplicity and consistency is achieved by doing away with branches—the tree structure only consists of a short trunk, leaders and fruiting units.
The short trunk and leaders are the primary and permanent structure of the tree.
Fruiting units, collectively called fruiting wood, are short (100–300mm) pieces of 1–2 and 3-year old wood with leaves and vegetative and reproductive spurs, laterals and buds.
Fruiting units are continuously renewed to keep the fruiting wood young and productive.
Small trees with a simple uniform tree structure make it easy to target your fruit number, fruit size and fruit quality.
The narrow canopy provides uniform solar radiation, light distribution and fruit distribution.
All the leaders are uniformly spaced and tied to the four wires. Fruiting units are rigid.
A high proportion of fruit can be ready for first pick.
(cont next issue)
See this article in Tree Fruit Oct 2023
