EFFECTS OF SUMMER PRUNING ON YIELD, FRUIT SIZE, AND FRUIT QUALITY OF THE APPLE CULTIVAR €˜SUMMERRED’

Manipulation of Fruit Dry Matter via Seasonal Pruning and Its Relationship to d’Anjou Pear Yield and Fruit Quality

“…F pruning averaged greater dry matter and soluble solids relative to F+S, and W pruning averaged greater than W+S, indicating that in our experiment the addition of summer pruning reduced the net dry matter and sugar contents of the resulting fruit (Figures 7 and 8). These results are in contrast with what was found by Asharaf et al [49], Demirtas et al [50], and Pramanick et al [51], in apple, apricot and kiwifruit, and more in agreement with Morgan et al [54], Ystaas [55], and Ferree et al [56] on apple trees. It is apparent here as well as in the estimated dry matter measures (Figures 5 and 6), that the reduction in overall leaf area and photosynthesis arising from summer pruning outweighs the benefit of increase light penetration to fruit sites, ultimately reducing fruit quality in our experimental conditions [53,56].…”

“…Indeed, modifications of timing and intensity of summer pruning from the present experiment could reflect into different results and discussion. No specific trend for acidity was found across the four pruning treatments, similar to Ystaas [55] for apple.…”

“…For instance, Ashraf et al [49], Demirtas et al [50], and Pramanick et al [51] reported increases in soluble solids content following summer pruning for apple, apricot, and kiwifruit, respectively. However, several authors report either no impact [52,53] or a reduction in soluble solids with summer pruning [54,55]. Beyond sugar content, Ferree et al [56] reported summer pruning as a tool to improve fruit quality in terms of higher overcolor and reduction of disorder (i.e., water core and cork spot).…”

Improving the Productivity, Quality, and Storability of ‘Katja’ Apple by Better Orchard Management Procedures

“…Although radical pruning increased TCSA, encouraged shoot growth, and improved fruit coloration, it simultaneously decreased yield and fruit storability, attributable perhaps to high competition for carbohydrates between fruits and rapid-grown shoots during the first 40 d after full bloom (Grappadelli et al, 1994). Thinning has been reported to positively influence regulated bearing, light transmission, and fruit quality (Fathi and Mukhtar, 1998;Ystaas, 1992), but such a relationship was not found for 'Katja' apples in the present investigation, where hand thinning decreased yield without any color improvement. Similarly to previous results (Tahir et al, 2005), bark mulching increased yield and fruit firmness, but in the present investigation, it did not improve vegetative growth as has been reported by several authors (Choi-Seong and Choi, 2000;Pfammatter and Dossimoz, 1997).…”