Pruning and Deblossoming Effects on Shoot Growth and Leaf Area of ‘McIntosh’ Apple Trees

Fourteen-year-old ‘McIntosh’/M 26 apple trees ( Malus domestica Borkh.) were deblossomed, pruned, or deblossomed and pruned, and separated into different shoot and leaf types after harvest. Both deblossoming and pruning increased shoot growth; the former by increasing shoot numbers and the latter by increasing mean shoot length. In spite of differences in total shoot growth, there were no differences in the relative proportions of the 3 shoot types. Treatment did not affect total leaf area, but both deblossoming and pruning increased the proportion of shoot leaves with corresponding decreases in spur leaves.