Effectiveness of application of stimulating methods of tree crown formation of one-year plum (Prunus domestica L.) saplings in the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine

Abstract

The evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of agrotecnical measures and growth regulator with the goal of crown formation during one-year plum saplings cultivation for intensive orchards is given. Combined measure of apical leaves topping and phytohormonal preparation arboline application was chosen as the best one, as it had the most stimulating effect on crown formation of one-year saplings of poorly branching plum varieties.

Advantage was this method, compared to the recommended pinching, was that trees formed in average 56 % more side shoots, angles of divergence increased by 17-25°, leaf blade area was 18 % bigger, and total length of the root system increased by 12 %. Technically, one-year plum saplings matched valid Ukrainian standard in quality.

Combined measure of apical leaves topping and arboline application increased the amount of standard saplings by 78 % in average, including first class by 2.3 times, which allowed achieving extra profit of 231.7 thousand UAH/ha from their selling.