Table 2.Trials at the Laimburg Research Station comparing yield for slender spindle and super
spindle systems.

Trunk
cross-
sectional
area
(cm2)

Cumulative
yield (1991-96)
_________________
%
kg/treet/haincrease*

Averagefruit quality
_______________________
weightcolordiameter
(g/fruit)(%)(% >70+ mm)

Variety and
orchard
system

Spacing
(m)

trees/ha

Elstar
super spindle
slender spindle
narrow
slender spindle
wide

2.5 x 0.33

12,121

12.8

15.4

187

116

180

42.7

92.7

2.8 x 0.80

4,464

32.7

46.3

207

128

177

41.0

94.7

3.0 x 1.20

2,777

31.6

57.8

161

100

173

45.5

94.3

Royal Gala
super spindle
slender spindle
narrow
slender spindle
wide

2.5 x 0.30

13,333

6.1

17.3

231

125

163

57.7

72.3

2.8 x 0.70

5,102

16.1

45.8

234

126

176

57.8

80.8

3.0 x 1.00

3,333

17

55.4

185

100

171

61.9

78.4

Braeburn
super spindle2.5 x 0.3013,3338.429.7
slender spindle
narrow2.8 x 0.605,95210.736.8
slender spindle
wide3.0 x 0.804,16613.844.8
*percent increase over lower density slender spindle.

396

212

188

53.2

79.1

219

117

186

61.1

78.3

187

100

191

61.5

80.9

Table 3.Tree densities recommended in South Tyrol, Italy, in 1998/99.

Variety*

Distances

Trees/ha

Trees/acre

Jonagold, Red Delicious
Winesap, Granny Smith, Fuji

3.0-3.2 x 1.0-1.2 m
9.8-10.5 x 3.3-3.9 ft

3,333-2,604

1,349-1,056

Gala, Braeburn vf, Golden
Delicious, Idared vf

3.0-3.2 x 0.9-1.1 m
9.8-10.5 x 2.9-3.6 ft

3,700-2,860

1,498-1,085

Red Chief (M.9 or M.26)

2.6-2.8 x 0.5-0.6 m
8.5-9.2 x 1.6-2 ft

5,920

2,397

*rootstock M.9.

Table 4.Major apple varieties in South Tyrol, Italy.

Variety

1980 (%)

1990 (%)

1998%

Golden Delicious
Red Delicious
Rome Beauty
Jonathan
Jonagold
Granny Smith
Gala
Elstar
Braeburn
Fuji
Others

51.2
9.0
21.0
12.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
6.8

47.3
11.5
16.6
4.4
5.2
3.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
11.2

48.5
10.0
10.0
0.0
9.0
7.3
6.0
2.0
1.2
0.3
5.7

Table 5.Share of apple varieties available as
grafted trees by nurseries.

Variety

1997 (%)

1998 (%)

Gala
Braeburn
Fuji
Golden Delicious
Red Delicious
Others

22
15
7
37
7
12

42
20
10
10
8
10

Table 6.The influence of weed control on tree growth and yield (Laimburg Research Station,
1996).

Stem diameter 1990-94

Yield 1990-94

Treatment

(inch)

lbs./tree

kg/tree

No weed control
Mechanical weed control
Treatment with bark mulch
Herbicide

3.0
3.6
3.0
3.1

15.6
21.0
16.4
20.4

34.5
46.4
36.1
45.0

1961

1963

1969

1970

1975
Year

1982

1986

1990

1998

12000

13000

14000

15000

16000

17000

18000

19000

ha

acre

44000

42000

40000

38000

36000

34000

32000

30000

Figure 1. Fruit growing area in South Tyrol, Italy.

46000

54 56 58 6062 64 66 68 707274 76 78 8082 84 86 88 9092 94 96 98
Year

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

Figure 2. Apple production in South Tyrol, Italy.

x 10 metric tons