Training system and tree density affect cost:benefit ratio, but have little impact, relative to season, on fruit yield and quality of 'Lapins' in Tasmania, Australia

The objective of this study was to investigate yield, fruit quality and cost of production of ‘Lapins’/’Colt’ sweet cherry trained to intensive Spanish bush (1111, 1481, and 2222 trees/hectare, ha), Tatura trellis (1481 and 2222 trees/ha) and V-axis (2962 and 4444 trees/ha) . The trial was established in 2003 and fruit data were collected between the 2005/2006 and 2008/2009 seasons. Yields were low in 2005/2006 and 2008/2009 due to frost damage. A radiative frost event in 2008/2009 affected Tatura-trained trees to a greater extent than other training systems. Highly intensive Spanish Bush (1481 and 2222 trees/ha) was relatively productive in 2005/2006 (ca. 10 ton/ha cf. > 5 ton/ha; 2 years after orchard establishment) but Tatura trellis and V-axis were more productive in non-frost years. Across all seasons, there were no differences among systems or tree densities in yields, which ranged from 9 to 14 ton/ha. Fruit quality was high with 74-80% rated as grade one (defined as export quality fruit of dark mahogany hue, unblemished and intact pedicel) and, of these fruit, around 80 % were 28 mm or larger in diameter. Training system and tree density had no effect on fruit size distribution. Orchard development costs were relatively high for Tatura trellis and V-axis and, therefore, the internal rate of return was greatest for intensive Spanish bush at 1481 trees/ha (185%). The other systems had similar rates of return of ca. 125 %. Overall, our results suggest that factors other than training system and tree density (eg., environment and management) have a greater impact on system profitability, for ‘Lapins’/’Colt’ within the range tested herein.