Canopy development and light interception in peach trees trained to transverse Y and delayed vase in the first four Years after planting

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of two training systems on yield, leaf area development and light interception in the first four years after planting. Trials were carried out in southern Italy (N 40° 20’, E 16° 48’) from the second to the fourth year after planting on peach trees (Prunus persica(L.) Batsch, cultivar ‘Springcrest’) dormant budded on GF677 and trained to transverse Y and delayed vase at planting densities of 1,111 p ha-1 and 416 p ha-1 respectively. Results have shown that the plants trained to transverse Y can rapidly reach high values of leaf area per unit of ground area (LAI) and can better utilize the available solar radiation compared to delayed vase. The differences between the two training systems with regards to intercepted PAR are due to orchard architecture and leaf area per plant. The geometry of the Y training system in combination with the higher planting density produced a higher level of PAR intercepted by the canopy during the years of the trial.