Fuji cincturing for return bloom 2016/17

2016–2017 | Kevin Dodds, NSW DPI | Future Orchards® interim trial presentation

This Batlow trial investigates cincturing as a management option for improving return bloom in Fuji apples, a cultivar prone to biennial bearing.

Cincturing temporarily interrupts phloem movement around the trunk or branch, altering carbohydrate movement within the tree. The trial was designed to observe whether that response could support flower-bud development for the following season without unacceptable effects on tree health or current crop performance.

The presentation is an interim report, so it should be interpreted as a progress update rather than a final recommendation. Timing, crop load, tree vigour and treatment severity are all important when judging the technique.

The work sits alongside other Future Orchards® research on NAA, root restriction and crop-load management for improving return bloom in Fuji.