Effect of spring nitrogen fertilization on bearing and branching behaviors of young apple trees.

The total aboveground biomass production, nutritional status, bearing and branching behaviors of the central leader and one year old shoots of young apple trees have been analyzed. The shoots were further characterized according to the length, shoot demography, and the production of terminal and lateral flowers. All the characteristics are described in connection with nitrogen supply and cultivar.

Relationships between trunk radial growth and fruit yield in apple and pear trees on size-controlling rootstocks.

Background And Aims: Understanding the mutual co-ordination of vegetative and reproductive growth is important in both agricultural and ecological settings. A competitive relationship between vegetative growth and fruiting is often highlighted, resulting in an apparent trade-off between structural growth and fruit production. However, our understanding of factors driving this relationship is limited.

Trunk radial growth, water and carbon relations of mature apple trees on two size-controlling rootstocks during severe summer drought.

The use of size-controlling rootstocks is central to modern high-density fruit production systems. While biological mechanisms responsible for vigor control are not fully understood, differences in water relations and carbohydrate storage ability have been suggested as two potential factors. To better understand the processes that control growth vigor, we analyzed the trunk radial variation at seasonal and diurnal timescales and measured the midday leaf water potential (ΨMD), leaf gas exchange and concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in apple trees of variety 'Jonagold' grafted on two rootstocks of contrasting growth vigor (dwarfing J-TE-G vs invigorating J-TE-H).

Modelling the bearing and branching behaviors of 1-year-old shoots in apricot genotypes.

In most temperate fruit trees, fruits are located on one-year old shoots. In Prunus species, flowers and fruits are born in axillary position along those shoots. The axillary bud fate and branching patterns are thus key components of the cultivar potential fruit production.