Smaller 'Montmorency' Tart Cherry Trees with Larger Relative Canopy Dimensions Produce More Fruit with Higher Sugar Content

‘Montmorency’ tart cherry trees (Prunus cerasus) commercially grown in Utah in low-density systems (~176 trees/acre) were evaluated along a gradient of age and size. Branch characteristics, canopy dimensions, light, yield, and fruit sugar content were quantified. Overall, smaller trees produced marginally more fruit with significantly higher sugar content. Trees with larger trunk cross sectional area given their age tended to produce more fruit but with lower sugar content. Sugar content was improved by trees with higher yield efficiency and also by trees with relatively larger and less dense canopies facilitated by height and spread dimensions, but not canopy volume. Light distribution within the canopy was only weakly correlated with fruit sugar content, but provided evidence suggesting canopy volume in current commercial plantings quickly becomes too large or overly dense. Tart cherry may be well-suited for planting in high-density systems as precocious trees maintained for two-dimensional canopies with slender and young fruiting branches will facilitate high yield efficiency and fruits of high sugar content.