The effect of mulch type and pruning on growth and yielding of nectarine (Prunus persica L.) cv 'Fantasia'.

Investigations were conducted in the years 2006–2008 in Przybroda near Pozna on nectarine cv. ‘Fantasia’ trees with vase-trained crowns, planted in spring 2004 on peach cv. ‘Mand urska’ rootstocks at a 4.0 × 2.5 m spacing (1000 trees ha), strongly damaged by frost during the winter of 2005/2006. In the experiment 2 types of mulch were used in tree rows: fibre sheets and mown grass. In spring 2006 tree tops were headed back by 35–40 cm. In autumn 2006 pruned trees were by 0.4 m lower than unpruned trees, but trees mulched with fibre sheets were taller and had bigger crown projection areas than trees mulched with mown grass. In the 2nd year after heading-back the increment of trunk cross-sectional area was bigger in trees in combinations mulched with mown grass in comparison to fibre sheets mulching, as well as unpruned trees in comparison to pruned trees. Pruning of trees resulted also in the fruit-bearing zone in shooting of longer long shoots with a diameter of 0.5 cm, but only in the first year after pruning. In the third year after pruning the highest yield was produced by unpruned trees mulched with mown grass, while unpruned trees mulched with fibre sheets gave the poorest yields.