PRODUCTION AND QUALITY ‘PONKAN’ TANGERINE TREE AFTER RECOVERING PRUNING

Abstract

This research was aimed to test top pruning effect in the lowering of the top and pruning the lower part of the plant on the recovering of 12 years old ‘Ponkan’ tangerine tree, 4 meters height, spaced 6 x 4 m and grafted on the ‘Cravo’ lemon tree. This experiment was carried out at Vito Crincoli Farm at Perdões/MG, Brazil. It was used randomized blocks in a factorial scheme of 4 x 2, top pruning (without pruning, pruning at 3.0; 2.5 and 2.0m) and skirt pruning (with and without pruning) with 4 replications. The useful parcel used three plants. The heavy top pruning damaged the production in the first tree years, also, after the second year, the plants showed a very good recovering. This result was confirmed in the third harvest, when diferents kinds of top pruning did not differ in the years. The plant´s skirt pruning treatment was superior to the treatment without pruning. The useful plot was constituted of three Tangerine plants. After the third year the treatment those who had more severe pruning obtained heavier fruits, indicating this kind of pruning to recover fruit quality.