Effects of various methods of pruning apple trees after planting

One-year-old apple trees of 'Jonagored' and 'Fiesta' cultivars grafted on M.26 rootstock were sorted out into two grades: strong feathered and weak unfeathered, and were planted into the experimental orchard at Dąbrowice. Each group of trees was subjected to 6 pruning treatments after planting. Light pruning treatment in each group involved no pruning after tree planting and for 3 years onward. The heaviest pruning of feathered trees included strong heading of the leader and side shoots to 3-5 buds after planting and unfeathered trees to 30 cm above ground followed by the standard training methods. Trees pruned and trained according to the recommendations in commercial orchards served as a control. Both tree quality and pruning treatments affected significantly growth and cropping of both cultivars in the first two years after planting. Feathered trees produced a greater length of annual shoots and higher yield in the second and third year after planting than those unfeathered. These parameters were also greater for unpruned and lightly pruned trees as compared to those pruned. The differences between treatments in shoot growth lasted for 5 years whereas for cropping, they declined after 3 years from planting. Effect of pruning treatment on fruit quality was negligible.