Influence of Cultivars, Ground Covers, and Trickle Irrigation on Early Growth, Yield, and Cold Hardiness of Peaches on Fox Sand

Three cultivars (early, midseason, late), two ground covers (clean cultivation followed by temporary cover vs. permanent sod strips), and trickle vs. no irrigation were studied in a high-density (633 trees/ha) experimental peach orchard established in 1980 on Fox sand. Growth rate in the first 5 years was similar for all three cultivars. It was retarded up to 12% by permanent sod relative to temporary cover and enhanced up to 30% by trickle irrigation vs. no irrigation. Total marketable yields and that of large-sized fruit (>6.3 cm) were significantly influenced by cultivars in the first and second, but not the third year of production. Ground cover treatments did not influence total marketable yields, but did affect the yield of large fruit in one year. Irrigation increased total marketable yields each year and also increased the yield of large fruit. Yields were up to 30.7% higher in trickle vs. non-irrigated plots. Cold hardiness of flower buds and shoot xylem in 1982 was significantly influenced by cultivar and irrigation treatments, but not by ground cover treatments; In 1984, each of these factors affected cold hardiness. Foliation in 1984 was affected by ground cover and irrigation treatments but not by cultivars. The best treatment combination across cultivars for management of the orchard floor consisted of permanent sod strips of creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) in the row middles combined with trickle irrigation in the tree row.