Orchard Systems Research with Deciduous Trees: A Brief Introduction

An orchard system is the integration of all the horticultural factors involved in establishing and maintaining a planting of fruit trees. These factors include tree density and arrangement, cultivar, root-stock and interstock, tree size and form, pruning and training techniques needed to maintain the desired configuration, mechanical training and harvesting, and support systems. An orchard system is a blueprint for the orchardist to follow throughout the life of a planting.