Suzi:

Chop it off and try training some of the other limbs into that area. Anything flexible can be tied in that direction. In a few years you can fill in the open area. It's also possible that a sprout will push in that direction. If it's from a scion train it to fill in. If it's from the rootstock that everything was grafted to, it can be grafted back to something you like.

double post

This post was edited by konrad___far_north on Sun, Feb 24, 13 at 12:04

Dead wood is always to be pruned off, as it is a pathway for rot and insects. Borers are probably the culprit, look for sawdust under the bark where they have tunneled and girdled the branch.

Just cut it off, eventually it will fill in with the four remaining or it will push out new branch from root stock which you can graft again or leave it alone for a pollen source/ornamental or cut it off.