Fruiting Wall Production Systems For Apricots And Nectarines

Project Leader: Gregory A. Lang

Progress: (comprehensive but brief narrative, progress, results to date, and challenges encountered)Year 3 (2017) of a Six-Year Duration Project (2015-2020):

The overall objective of this project is to develop, refine, and evaluate two complementary orchard technologies, fruiting wall canopy architectures for stone fruit production and high tunnel protective covering structures, to examine their potential for improving Midwest growers’ ability to sustainably produce and market high value specialty stone fruit crops like peaches, nectarines, and apricots. The first phase of this work was completed in 2016 by evaluating four potential canopy architectures that included Tall Spindle Axe (TSA), Palmette (PLM), Upright Fruiting Offshoots (UFO), and a modified Super Slender Axe (SSA). The UFO and SSA canopies were imposed on necarines, apricots, and plums, while the TSA was imposed on nectarines and the PLM was imposed on apricots and plums.