V-shaped apple planting systems

Several V-shaped apple orchard systems have been developed over the last 30 years. The "Tatura trellis" which was first developed in the 1970's for peaches and was later adapted for apples was the first commercially planted V system. It utulized close in-row spacings and one scaffold branch on each side of the V-shaped trellis with an incline of 60 degrees above the horizontal. Later a number of variations of the Tatura trellis were developed for apple which include the Y-trellis, mini-Tatura trellis, A-trellis (MIA Trellis), double row V-trellis, Mikako system, Drilling system, V-slender spindle and V-super spindle. The angled V-systems have very high yields due to high tree densities and to high levels of light interception at maturity. V-systems allow less light to fall on the orchard floor as a result of the arms of the V-shaped canopy growing over the tractor alleyways. The openess of the canopy in the center of the 'V' allows for light penetration to the center of the canopy and thus high fruit quality. V-systems also provide a systematic approach to tree training that can be performed by unskilled labor. Another claimed advantage is reduced fruit sunburn in high sunlight climates. The primary disadvantages of V-systems are that the trellis is expensive and labor costs for tree training are high. V-systems have found significant commercial acceptance in some areas of the world.