Abstract
Inadequate lateral branch development can lead to decreased apple ( Malus × domestica Borkh.) orchard productivity and profitability in modern high-density orchard systems. Although plant growth regulator applications are used to increase lateral branching on leaders of young apple trees, inconsistent responses have been observed in the southeastern United States. In North Carolina and Washington, three experiments were conducted to identify effective leader management strategies to increase lateral branching. Effects and interactions of leader bagging, 6-benzyladenine (6-BA), and 6-BA + gibberellic acid (GA 4+7 ) on lateral branch development of 1-year-old leaders were evaluated. Across all experiments, leader bagging was an influential factor. When compared with unbagged trees, leader bagging increased lateral branch number (20% to 48%), number of feathers (74% to 125%), average branch length (28% to 34%), and total linear bearing surface (428%) of the treated section of the leader. Blossom cluster density and final fruit set were increased in bagged trees, 65% and 36%, respectively. At the rates and timings tested, 6-BA and 6-BA + GA 4+7 were generally ineffective in stimulating lateral branching and interactions among the factors evaluated were not influential. Leader bagging was an effective lateral branch induction strategy, although the mechanism of action is poorly understood. Future research to characterize the bagged environment and/or physiological responses to bagging may aid in the development of future environmentally sustainable technologies to stimulate lateral branching of apple trees.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Bagging increased lateral branch number by 20% to 48%.
- Taxon
- Apple
Malus domesticat0 - Organ / stage
- leadere0
- Treatment
- leader bagginge0
- Outcome
- lateral branch numbere0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 20% to 48%e0
- Comparator
- unbagged treese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Apple”
e0“When compared with unbagged trees, leader bagging increased lateral branch number (20% to 48%), number of feathers (74% to 125%), average branch length (28% to 34%), and total linear bearing surface (428%) of the treated section of the leader.”
Claim · model-written summary
Bagging increased feather number by 74% to 125%.
- Taxon
- AppleMalus domesticat0
- Organ / stage
- leadere0
- Treatment
- leader bagginge0
- Outcome
- number of featherse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 74% to 125%e0
- Comparator
- unbagged treese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Apple”
e0“When compared with unbagged trees, leader bagging increased lateral branch number (20% to 48%), number of feathers (74% to 125%), average branch length (28% to 34%), and total linear bearing surface (428%) of the treated section of the leader.”
Claim · model-written summary
Bagging increased average branch length by 28% to 34%.
- Taxon
- AppleMalus domesticat0
- Organ / stage
- leadere0
- Treatment
- leader bagginge0
- Outcome
- average branch lengthe0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 28% to 34%e0
- Comparator
- unbagged treese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Apple”
e0“When compared with unbagged trees, leader bagging increased lateral branch number (20% to 48%), number of feathers (74% to 125%), average branch length (28% to 34%), and total linear bearing surface (428%) of the treated section of the leader.”
Claim · model-written summary
Bagging increased total linear bearing surface by 428%.
- Taxon
- AppleMalus domesticat0
- Organ / stage
- leadere0
- Treatment
- leader bagginge0
- Outcome
- total linear bearing surfacee0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 428%e0
- Comparator
- unbagged treese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Apple”
e0“When compared with unbagged trees, leader bagging increased lateral branch number (20% to 48%), number of feathers (74% to 125%), average branch length (28% to 34%), and total linear bearing surface (428%) of the treated section of the leader.”
Claim · model-written summary
Bagging increased blossom cluster density by 65%.
- Taxon
- AppleMalus domesticat0
- Treatment
- bagged treese0
- Outcome
- Blossom cluster densitye0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 65%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Apple”
e0“Blossom cluster density and final fruit set were increased in bagged trees, 65% and 36%, respectively.”
Claim · model-written summary
Bagging increased final fruit set by 36%.
- Taxon
- AppleMalus domesticat0
- Treatment
- bagged treese0
- Outcome
- final fruit sete0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 36%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Apple”
e0“Blossom cluster density and final fruit set were increased in bagged trees, 65% and 36%, respectively.”
Claim · model-written summary
6-BA was generally ineffective in stimulating lateral branching at tested rates and timings.
- Taxon
- AppleMalus domesticat0
- Treatment
- 6-BAe0
- Outcome
- lateral branchinge0
- Direction
- ineffectivee0
- Qualifier
- At the rates and timings testede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Apple”
e0“At the rates and timings tested, 6-BA and 6-BA + GA 4+7 were generally ineffective in stimulating lateral branching and interactions among the factors evaluated were not influential.”
Claim · model-written summary
6-BA plus GA 4+7 was generally ineffective in stimulating lateral branching at tested rates and timings.
- Taxon
- AppleMalus domesticat0
- Treatment
- 6-BA + GA 4+7e0
- Outcome
- lateral branchinge0
- Direction
- ineffectivee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Apple”
e0“At the rates and timings tested, 6-BA and 6-BA + GA 4+7 were generally ineffective in stimulating lateral branching and interactions among the factors evaluated were not influential.”
Claim · model-written summary
Interactions among evaluated factors were not influential.
- Taxon
- AppleMalus domesticat0
- Outcome
- interactions among the factors evaluatede0
- Direction
- not influentiale0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Apple”
e0“At the rates and timings tested, 6-BA and 6-BA + GA 4+7 were generally ineffective in stimulating lateral branching and interactions among the factors evaluated were not influential.”
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See all 14 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.