The target—higher yields through a larger number of trees per ha—was reached with an increase
in production of 3-4% (data from trials at the Experiment Station Laimburg by Dr. Hermann
Mantinger). The fruit quality, however, was not improved. At the moment the orchardists in
South Tyrol are not interested in the V-system. On the contrary, several V-plantings have been
converted back to slender spindles.

The introduction of the super spindle in the late 1980s constituted a great leap toward
intensification. It included
•planting densities of 10,000-12,000 trees/ha (4,050-4,860 trees/acre) with tree distances of 2-
2.5 m x 0.25-0.4 m (6.5-8.2 feet x 0.82 –1.3 feet)
•canopy diameters of 0.5-1 m (1.6-3.3 feet) at most
•trees with very short lateral branches

The supporters of the super spindle brought forward the following points in its favor:
•early production: 2ndyear half of the production capacity, 3rdyear full productivity
•hence the opportunity to take advantage of high prices for new varieties
•high yields/ha of 80-120 metric tonnes
•less expenditure of time on pruning and training
•short economic life cycle of the orchard: 7-9 years

The prerequisites to success with super spindle are the total control of shoot growth and fruit set,
frost irrigation, hail nets and fertigation. In the early 1990s a number of super spindle orchards
were established in Holland, Germany and South Tyrol.

The Experiment Station Laimburg has conducted several trials with super spindle and slender
spindle planting systems and the varieties Elstar, Royal Gala and Braeburn on rootstock M.9
(Table 2).After 7 years Dr. Hermann Mantinger came to the following conclusions:
•The cumulative yields/ha were higher for super spindle only with the not very vigorous and
not virus-free variety Braeburn; production per hectare for Gala and Elstar was lower for
super spindle than for narrow slender spindle.
•In the plot with super spindle, fruit size was smaller on all varieties.
•With Gala, the fruit color remained significantly paler on the super spindle and increased
with wider tree spacing (Figure 3).

According to Dr. Hermann Mantinger, these results show that if tree density increases beyond a
certain limit the risk of alternate bearing, smaller fruit size and poorer coloring will rise.
Furthermore, the yield/ha does not rise beyond a certain threshold.

An economic analysis shows that after taking into account all the determining factors, including
production, prices, investment of capital and interest, only with the not very vigorous variety
Braeburn were the capital costs covered in the 5thyear. With Gala and Elstar the extreme
intensification did not bring any advantages.

In conclusion, the higher the density of an orchard, the higher the capital input and therefore the
risk of losses. It is also known that an agricultural ecosystem is more sensitive to exterior
influences and loses the more intensive the production methods are. In the course of the
increasing intensification of the super spindle system we have clearly exceeded the point of
maximum profitability. The practically minded South Tyrolean orchardists realized this at once

and stopped the progress of the super spindle. A positive outcome of the scientific and practical
intensification trials was the realization that the single rows might be planted somewhat closer
together and the number of trees could be increased from 2,500-3,000 to 3,000-5,000 trees/ha
(1,012-1215 to 1,215-2,024 trees/acre). These results are included in our latest recommendations
regarding planting systems (Table 3).

With the tree numbers and planting systems listed in Table 3, we believe we have found a
balance between the following important demands on modern orchard management:
•early, high and regular yields
•good fruit quality
•low costs, little manual work
•consideration for ecological needs

NEW TRENDS
The trees are allowed to grow a little higher, up to a maximum of 3-3.5 m (9.8-11 feet). This has
the advantages of higher yields and slower top growth.

On the other hand, the increased tree height impedes tree management and harvesting from the
ground. Furthermore, as the experiences in the autumn of 1998 show, higher trees require a
stronger support system.

If the prices of different fruit qualities continue to diverge, wider spacing might become
interesting to achieve a good fruit color and size with red or bicolor varieties.

REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUNG TREES
It is important for the economic success of an orchard to obtain well-developed trees from the
nursery and to train and handle them carefully. We advise our orchardists to plant only well-
developed trees. They should have a stem diameter of 11 mm (>5/8") at 10 cm (3.9 inches) above
the graft union or 24 cm (9.45 inches) above the ground and they should be well branched
(feathered) with at least 5 usable shoots (branches) with a length of at least 30 cm (11.8 inches).
Our definition of “usable shoots”is as follows:
•first basic shoots should be 60-80 cm (23.6-31.5 inches) above the ground
•their length and vigor should be equal
•they should be distributed at regular distances around the stem
•the crotch angle should be as wide as possible

TRAINING AND PRUNING
Nowadays a large part of the trees supplied by the nurseries have 10 or more branches. In order
to prevent growth of the central leader that is too vigorous and promote the development of
fruiting branches we advise:
•bending a central leader of more than 50 cm (19.7 inches) length immediately below the
horizontal; as soon as the shoots at the upper side have reached a length of 10 cm
(3.9 inches), the central leader must be tied up again
•not touching the central leader if it is shorter than 50 cm (19.7 inches)
•removing feathers that are too vigorous or too close to the ground (below 60 cm from the
ground) (23.6 inches)
•cutting back shoots that are too long and bending shoots if the angle is too steep

TRAINING
The slender spindle has been the most widely used tree form in South Tyrol for 25 years. The
aim is to obtain a 2.5-3.5 m (8.2-11.5 feet) tall Christmas tree shaped tree with a width of
approximately 1-1.5 m (3.2-4.9 feet) at the base. This permits the most efficient interception of
sunlight under our conditions and consequently high yields of good quality fruit.

The objectives of tree training have remained the same over the years; however, the ways and
means of achieving them have changed due to better tree quality, which means well-feathered,
vigorous trees, and new physiological insights into shoot growth and pruning.

The central leader is not headed back at planting. In the early years only excessively vigorous
and steep shoots near the central leader are removed. Bend usable steep shoots down and do not
prune the laterals. Early yields will assure a slow and harmonious growth.

“Little pruning also in the early years”was a further physiological insight. Pruning at this early
stage promotes shoot growth, retards good early crops and the development of the permanent
tree shape.

The training during the bearing phase has also changed significantly in recent years. This pruning
strategy can be defined as “from short to long.”Its principal objective is to maintain the tree in a
physiological balance or to reduce growth if the tree is very vigorous. Contemporaneously this
enhances high and regular yields. The following basic rules have to be observed:
•Branches at the base which are too vigorous or too close together as well as vigorous
branches at the top must be removed.
•Do not leave more than 2-3 large pruning wounds on a tree per year. They permit a better
exposure to sunlight and do not disturb the physiological balance of the tree.
•Never shorten vigorous laterals: remove them or leave them untouched.
•Prune horizontal fruiting branches only if their annual growth is shorter than 20 cm
(8 inches). Cut back old and exhausted wood.

VARIETY TRENDS
In the 1980s only 5 varieties shared 90% of total production.This concentration did not meet the
demand of the European markets for new varieties. New varieties like Granny Smith, Jonagold
or Elstar were planted. The older varieties, Jonathan, Rome Beauty and Gravenstein, declined.
This led to a slightly different assortment of varieties in 1990 (Table 4). From 1990 onwards
another wave of new, more up-to-date varieties arrived with Gala, Braeburn and Fuji, which is in
full swing at the moment (Table 4).

Since 1997 Cripps Pink/Pink Lady has captured our interest. This new variety from Australia
exerts a magical attraction for many of our orchardists. The above-mentioned new varieties
accounted for a considerable share in the production of 1998. At present much replanting is
taking place. It is triggered by the slack demand for and the low prices of the traditional varieties,
for example, Golden Delicious and Rome Beauty. This leads to an almost revolutionary upheaval
in the assortment of trees offered by the nurseries, as can be seen from the statistics for 1997/98
(Table 5). South Tyrol is following a worldwide trend in this respect.