Evaluation of the mechanical pruning effect on olive yield in a high-density olive orchard of the ‘Galega vulgar’ cultivar

The primary advantages of mechanical pruning in traditional olive groves are an increase in the pruning rate, the reduction of pruning costs without a reduction in yield.
In Portugal, the increasing establishment of new olive orchards has exacerbated labour shortages for pruning.
This challenge, coupled with limited knowledge regarding the application of mechanical pruning in irrigated high-density olive orchards, prompted the present study.
In 2009, we started the evaluation of the use of mechanical pruning in an irrigated intensive olive orchard of the ‘Galega vulgar’ cultivar installed in an array of 7×5 m.
This trial was designed with as a randomised complete block with three replications of four treatments.
The treatments are: T1 – manual pruning using manual saws and scissors, performed in 2009, 2013 and 2017; T2 – mechanical pruning: topping the canopy parallel to the ground in 2009, 2013 and 2017; T3 – mechanical pruning as in T2, followed by manual pruning complement using manual saws and scissors, in 2009, 2013 and 2017; T4 – mechanical pruning: topping the canopy parallel to the ground in 2009, 2013 and 2017, interspersed with a manual pruning complement in 2011, 2015 and 2019. The evaluation of pruning rate and the average yield per tree for each treatment was measured.
On average, no significant differences were obtained between treatments, revealing that manual pruning complement to mechanical pruning made two years after mechanical pruning seems to have no influence on yield.

IX International Olive Symposium

A.B. Dias, R.S. Pimentel, A. Pinheiro

topping canopy, manual pruning complement

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2026.1446.43