Pomological performance of a 2-dimensional planar cordon apple orchard

New Zealand apple orchards are planted with wide inter-rows (3+ m) to facilitate machinery access. Consequently, mature apple orchards achieve a maximum fractional light interception of only 60%, limiting yields annually to ~100 t ha^-1. Therefore, we tested new prototype apple orchards comprising narrow inter-rows and 2-dimensional tree arrays, purposely designed to increase orchard light interception and yield. In 2014, bi-axis ‘Royal Gala’ and ‘Scifresh’ trees on ‘Malling 9’ rootstock were planted at 3 m between trees within the tree rows, with inter-row spacings of 1.5 m (2222 trees ha^-1) or 2 m (1667 trees ha^-1). Each inter-row spacing incorporated 2-dimensional planar cordon trees trained with upright fruiting branches oriented either vertically or in a narrow vee. Using ‘Royal Gala’ as an example, 7-year-old experimental orchards planted at the 1.5-m and 2-m inter-row spacings achieved gross yields of 173 t ha^-1 and 140 t ha^-1. Comparatively, the upper quartile of high-performing commercial New Zealand ‘Royal Gala’ orchards produce an average yield of ~75 t ha^-1 at the same age. We discuss the yield of a planar cordon ‘Royal Gala’ orchard across eight years of study, and describe branch architecture, fruit set and fruit dry matter concentration within mature tree canopies.