Effects of Tree Lateral Branch Number and Angle on Early Growth and Yield of High-density Apple Trees

Initial tree quality from the nursery has an important effect on the early yield and profitability of new high-density apple plantings. Nursery tree quality is often defined as the combination of trunk diameter (caliper) and the number of axillary branches (lateral branches or feathers). In this study, we evaluated the influence of the number of lateral branches (feathers) and the angle of the feathers on growth and yield of five apple cultivars (Mutsu, Gala, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, and Macoun) on M.9 or B.9 rootstocks over the first 5 years after planting in the orchard at Geneva, NY, USA. Yield was positively related to the number of lateral branches. Manual bending the feathers below horizontal increased yield during the early life of the planting, especially for more vigorous cultivars with upright growth. There was a significant economic benefit to a greater number of feathers and to bending feathers below the horizontal.