Square and pyramidal pruning effects on mango production.
Avilán L., Martínez G., Marín R. C., Rodríguez M., Ruiz J., Escalante H.
Author Affiliation: INIA, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Apdo. 4653, Av. Universidad, vía el Limón, Maracay 2101, estado Aragua, Venezuela.
Agronomía Tropical (Maracay) 53 : 239-257
Abstract : An assay on mangoes was carried out by CENIAP-INIA (National Research Center for Agriculture) in Maracay, Venezuela, during 1999-2000 and 2000-01. Mango trees of cultivars Haden, Tommy Atkins, Edwards and Kent, grafted on Criollo that induces low height, spaced 6×6 m (278 plants ha-1) were evaluated during the full growth period to study the effect of canopy shaped as truncated pyramidal, square and free growth, with cortical cutting and without cortical cutting or ring-shaped of 50% of the main branches, over vegetative growth, flowering and production. Treatments comprised: control trees in free growth without cortical cutting (TSA), control trees in free growth with cortical cutting (TCA), truncated pyramidal shape without cortical cutting (FPTSA), truncated pyramidal shape with cortical cutting (FPTCA), square shape without cortical cutting (FCSA), and square shape with cortical cutting (FCCA). The variables studied were: increase of canopy volume (IVC), flowering percentage, yield (kg tree-1) and productive efficiency. As pruning increased, so did IVC, while flowering and fruit yield decreased. Productive efficiency of FPT was highest, and over time, increased in relation to FC and free growth (T). Cortical cutting did not show significant effect over the variables. The mean yields (t ha-1) for the two years of production were: T=19.29, FC=14.72 and FPT=11.97; FPT and FC mean yields were 149 and 189% superior, respectively, in relation to 7.5-8.5 t ha-1 of the traditional system of planting (69 plants ha-1), in orchards of similar age (7 to 8).