Rotating Cross Arm Trellis August update

Figure 1. Rotating cross arm trellis in August.

Earlier this spring, I posted a picture of a new trellis we are trialing at one of our research stations (http://teamrubus.blogspot.com/2012/05/rotating-cross-arm-trellis.html). Above is a picture taken on August 22, 2012.  We have 3 cultivars on each section of this trellis, Apache, Ouachita and Von (aka NC430).

Figure 2. Training of primocanes on wire. 

The second and third images show how we trained the primocanes to the bottom wire as they emerged from the crown. The canes were tied to the low horizontal wire. This encouraged buds that were on the horizontal wire to start growing. These secondary buds will produce canes that are very productive and are easier to train to the trellis because they are narrower. Fumi Takeda has done some very nice work describing the productivity of the buds in this paper. Here is a link to a summary of this work.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=281491

Image 3. Close-up of training of primocanes on the horizontal wire. Photo: Fumi Takeda. 

To get the entire article, you will need to become a member of NARBA. (http://www.raspberryblackberry.org/subtopics.cfm?topic=Membership)