Guyot training: a new system for producing apples and pears

The Guyot system for apple and pear Is the slender spindle in apple going to be replaced by narrow hedge systems? The advantages of narrow hedges (fruit walls) are, among others: more light (skin colour), better labour ef!ciency and the possibility to automate cultivation measures and (in future) even to robotise them. During the last few decades, researcher Alberto Dorigoni of Fondazione Edmund Mach in San Michele all’Adige (Italy), has done research into narrow fruit hedges and matching tree shapes. In 2005 a start was made with trees with two central leaders (Bibaum®). In the following years trees with 3, 4, 6 or 8 central leaders were planted. In this article, he presents the advantages and disadvantages of trees with several central leaders: the multi central leader or Guyot system.