Abstract

VAZQUEZ-VALDIVIA, V.; PEREZ-BARRAZA, M. H.; OSUNA-GARCIA, J. A.  and  URIAS-LOPEZ, Mario A.. Pruning intensity on vigour, yield and fruit weight of 'Ataulfo' mango. Rev. Chapingo Ser.Hortic [online]. 2009, vol.15, n.2, pp.127-132. ISSN 2007-4034.

Pruning is an essential practice to maintain the productivity in mango orchards. However, this labor is an uncommon practice in Nayarit, Mexico. Until now, it is unknown the more suitable pruning intensity to control the tree size and to get the best yields. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pruning intensity on vigor, yield and weight fruit of 'Ataulfo' mangos. Three pruning intensities were evaluated, consisting of pruning at 50, 75 or 100 cm of all the shoots around the tree canopy. A control without pruning was also included. A completely randomized experimental design with 10 single tree replications was used. The main variables were vigor, yield and fruit weight. After the first year of evaluation, it was found that pruning facilitated to control the tree size since pruned trees had 10% less height and 14% less canopy diameter than unpruned trees. Pruned trees with 100 cm had the highest vegetative growth and the new shoot were longer with 31 cm; but the flowering in the immediately year after the pruning was the lowest with 16.50%. Pruning intensity did not affected annual or accumulated yield of two years. In addition, it was noticed that any of the pruning intensities affected the fruit weight.

Keywords : Mangifera indica L; intensity; vegetative growth; flowering; yield; tree size control.

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