A hierarchical dataset of vegetative and reproductive growth in apple tree organs under conventional and non-limited carbon resources

The dataset contains eight spreadsheets presenting the seasonal growth of the apple tree (Malus domestica, Fuji Variety grafted on M9 rootstock) organs growing according to three conditions of carbon assimilate availability: trees in normal field conditions (FRU); trees in which fruit competition for carbohydrates was minimized by heavy thinning (THI); trees in which vegetative competition was minimized by complete fruit removal (DEF). Trees are grown in the Trentino Alto Adige apple production area, Northern Italy. The dataset includes information on primary and secondary shoot growth, secondary trunk growth, fruit growth. It includes monitoring of tagged plant organs and a concurrent characterization of the same organ types sampled from other trees following the same treatments. Observations contain information useful for hierarchical data treatment, such as tree, branch and shoot numbers or canopy level (Low, Middle, High), as well as information such as treatment, sampling date, the day of the year of the measurements, and the corresponding daily accumulated growing degree days (GDD), calculated from air temperature.