The results of a study by researchers at Washington State University published in the journal HortTechnology, show that summer mechanical hedging could significantly reduce pruning labor time and costs in cider apples. To date, cider apple orchard management has followed the same guidelines as dessert apples, with all pruning done by hand. This can represent about 20–25% of total labor costs.
Click here for original story, Summer mechanical hedging to prune eight cider apple cultivars
Source: Phys.org