COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF VARIOUS INTENSIVE ORCHARD DESIGNS FOR SCAB-IMMUNE APPLE CULTIVARS IN THE RIGHT-BANK FOREST-STEPPE OF UKRAINE
Abstract
Purpose. The study aims to evaluate the designs of intensive orchards featuring scab-immune apple cultivars based on productivity, drought resistance, and the commercial and consumer quality of the fruit. Furthermore, the objective is to identify the most economically efficient designs for low-input cultivation systems under the environmental conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine.
Methods. The research was conducted in orchards established in 2017. The objects of the study were orchard designs on vegetative rootstocks of varying vigor using 'Skifske Zoloto' and 'Damiana' cultivars. Biometric indicators, yield, and commercial fruit quality were determined using the measurement-and-weight method. Statistical analysis was employed to ensure the reliability of experimental data; analytical methods were used to assess the potential drought resistance of trees and the biochemical composition of the fruit; and the calculation- and-comparison method was applied to evaluate economic efficiency.
Results. The study established that during the full fruiting period, orchards on MM.106 rootstock with a columnar crown at a planting density of 2,500 trees/ha outperform trellis-dwarf orchards on M.9 and M.26 rootstocks in terms of productivity, potential drought resistance, and commercial fruit quality. Regarding the complex of consumer qualities, they are not inferior to the dwarf systems. With an average yield of 39.6–43.2 t/ha in these plots, the net profit amounted to 515.8 and 489.2 thousand UAH, respectively, with profitability levels of 217.0% and 202.2%. These figures are 24.3–74.0% and 62.2–123.4 % higher, respectively, than those of trellis-dwarf orchards on M.9 and M.26 rootstocks.
Conclusions. The comprehensive assessment of various intensive orchard designs for scab-immune apple cultivars indicates that increasing production efficiency and reducing establishment costs in the rainfed conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine is achievable through the implementation of innovative resource-saving methods. These methods involve creating high-density, support-free orchard designs using these cultivars on the semi-vigorous MM.106 rootstock.
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