Título:	Pecan quality in high-density orchards subject to two pruning systems and tree thinning.
Autoria:	HELLWIG, C. G. MARTINS, C. R. LIMA, A. D. V. FARIAS, R. de M. MALGARIM, M. B.
Afiliação:	CRISTIANO GEREMIAS HELLWIG, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE PELOTAS; CARLOS ROBERTO MARTINS, CPACT; ANTONIO DAVI VAZ LIMA, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE PELOTAS; ROSELI DE MELLO FARIAS, UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL; MARCELO BARBOSA MALGARIM, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE PELOTAS.
Ano de publicação:	2025
Referência:	Bragantia, v. 84, 2025.
Conteúdo:	ABSTRACT: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of two semi-mechanized pruning systems and a tree thinning method on the quality of pecan fruit grown in a mature pecan orchard at high density. The experiment was carried out in a commercial pecan orchard composed of ‘Pitol 1’ trees at the density of 204 trees per hectare. A completely randomized block design with four treatments—hedge pruning, central pruning, tree thinning, and control (neither pruning nor thinning)—was used. Variables under evaluation were fruit per kilo, fruit mass, kernel mass, shell mass, percent kernel, fruit length, kernel length, fruit diameter, kernel diameter, classification of fruit size, shell thickness, kernel color, kernel lightness (L*), and commercial kernels. Pruning and thinning treatments significantly increased pecan quality by increasing fruit and kernel size and weight. Hedge and central pruning decreased the number of fruits per kilogram by 14 and 15, respectively, while thinning reduced it by 23, by comparison with the control. Moreover, the treatments under study led to a high ratio of extra-large and oversize pecans. Semi-mechanized pruning and tree thinning are cultural practices which improve fruit quality by increasing pecan size and weight in 10–15-year-old ‘Pitol 1’ trees grown with no irrigation.
Thesagro:	Noz Peca Qualidade Pomar Poda
NAL Thesaurus:	Carya illinoinensis
Digital Object Identifier:	https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4499.20250091
Tipo do material:	Artigo de periódico
Acesso:	openAccess
Aparece nas coleções:	Artigo em periódico indexado (CPACT)