Impact of First Mechanical Fructification Pruning on Mango Orchards

Abstract

ABSTRACT São Francisco River Valley is the main mango Brazilian growing region, where almost 85% of Brazilian exports are produced. In this region, the fructification pruning is the first and one of the most influential cultural treatments of the productive cycle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of mechanical pruning on growth, development, physiology, and yield of mango cv. Tommy Atkins grown in the tropical semiarid. An experiment was carried out in Casa Nova, Bahia, Brazil, with mangoes ‘Tommy Atkins.’ The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with two treatments (manual and mechanical pruning), evaluated in subdivided plots over time (evaluation dates), with five replications and four plants per plot. There was a significant interaction between the types of pruning and the dates of evaluation for the number of flushes emitted per branch, branch diameter, light intensity, nitrogen leaf content, leaf proline, branch proline, and branch soluble carbohydrates. Mechanical pruning increases the length of sprout and decreases the percentage of plants with symptoms of floral malformation. Mechanical pruning presented a lower production compared with manual pruning in the first evaluation cycle after continuous manual pruning, suggesting an initial impact, but with the potential for adaptation of the plants in the next productive cycles.