Articles
Fall pruning to increase productivity in blueberry systems
Article number
1440_62
Pages
455 – 462
Language
English
Abstract
Current pruning practices for blueberry systems in the southeastern USA exclude selective fall pruning.
Most growers use a non-selective version of mechanized summer pruning (hedging) with the primary purpose of reducing plant height.
Hedging is the preferred pruning method because of its low labor requirements and cost-effectiveness.
In contrast, selective fall pruning maintains a balanced vegetative and reproductive growth, but there is limited research on the effects of fall pruning on the yield and fruit quality of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids). A field experiment to test different pruning treatments was established on a commercial farm.
Six different pruning treatments were applied to four-year-old ‘Farthing’: “hedge summer/hand pruned fall”, “hedge summer/tip in fall (commercial practice)”, “no hedge/hand pruned fall”, “hand pruned in summer/hand pruned in fall”, “no pruned or hedge”, “hedge and hand pruned (summer)/hand prune in fall”. Selective pruning in the summer or fall did not affect the total yield per bush compared with “hedge summer/tip in fall” (commercial practice). There was an increase in berry size and weight when plants were “hand pruned in summer/hand pruned in fall”. Berry firmness was lower in berries harvested from the “commercial practice” treatment.
Thus, fall pruning may be a useful tool for blueberry growers in Georgia.
However, it is important to analyze how cost-effective pruning will be for blueberry producers in the southeast.
Most growers use a non-selective version of mechanized summer pruning (hedging) with the primary purpose of reducing plant height.
Hedging is the preferred pruning method because of its low labor requirements and cost-effectiveness.
In contrast, selective fall pruning maintains a balanced vegetative and reproductive growth, but there is limited research on the effects of fall pruning on the yield and fruit quality of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids). A field experiment to test different pruning treatments was established on a commercial farm.
Six different pruning treatments were applied to four-year-old ‘Farthing’: “hedge summer/hand pruned fall”, “hedge summer/tip in fall (commercial practice)”, “no hedge/hand pruned fall”, “hand pruned in summer/hand pruned in fall”, “no pruned or hedge”, “hedge and hand pruned (summer)/hand prune in fall”. Selective pruning in the summer or fall did not affect the total yield per bush compared with “hedge summer/tip in fall” (commercial practice). There was an increase in berry size and weight when plants were “hand pruned in summer/hand pruned in fall”. Berry firmness was lower in berries harvested from the “commercial practice” treatment.
Thus, fall pruning may be a useful tool for blueberry growers in Georgia.
However, it is important to analyze how cost-effective pruning will be for blueberry producers in the southeast.
Publication
Authors
Z. Rubio Ames, N. Espinoza, M. Brannon
Keywords
berry size, hedge, yield, fruit quality, berry weight
Online Articles (74)