Phenological evaluation for determination of pruning strategies on pear trees in the tropics

Abstract

Pear production in the tropics is limited not only by the reduced number of cultivars more adapted to places with higher temperatures, but also due to the lack of strategies for correct culture management. The intensity and the way of pruning the branches and the vegetative and reproductive structures are external factors that most influence the production and quality of pears. Thus, the aim was to evaluate the structure type that is related with the yield levels of pear trees and to establish strategies for the pruning of cultivars with greater adaptability and reproductive stability in the tropics. The experimental design was complete randomized blocks in the factorial design of split-plot in time, being six pear tree cultivars and two crop years. The duration of the phenophases in days, the percentage of vegetative spurs, reproductive spurs, reproductive brindles, vegetative brindles, bourses, yield per plant, and the number of fruits per plant were evaluated. Moreover, the adaptability and reproductive stability of species were verified. The pruning should be guided in order to maintain the reproductive spurs, the pear tree’s main developed reproductive structure in the tropics and related to the greater yield of pears. Pruning in the tropics should be mild due to the evolution of vegetative brindles. There is no difference in the total length of the cultivar’s phenological cycle regarding the reproductive spurs and reproductive brindles. 'Seleta' and 'Shinseiki' cultivars show greatest adaptability and reproductive stability to be cultivated in the tropics.