The Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University, 498, Hattaji, Matsuyama City, Ehime 799-2424, Japan.
Key words: buds, chlorophyll, climatic seasons, crop quality, crop yield, fruit set, fruits, peaches, plant development, pruning, regrowth, shoots, summer, winter
Journal of Applied Horticulture, 2005, volume 7, issue 1, pages 11-15.
Abstract: An experiment was conducted in Japan, to compare regenerated shoot growth, pruned shoot weight, chlorophyll content, bud formation, fruit set, fruit yield and quality in summer- and winter-pruned peach (cv. AB-1) trees. Summer pruning comprised heading cut, removal of vigorous and current season shoots on 24 July 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 after harvest. Winter pruning was conducted in February-March 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. The weight of shoots removed by summer pruning was smaller than winter pruning. The pruned shoot weight gradually decreased both in summer-pruned and winter-pruned trees. The regenerated shoot number was less and regrowth stopped within 2 months after summer pruning. Regenerated shoot length after summer pruning increased until October. Chlorophyll was higher in summer- than in winter-pruned trees in November. Leaf drop was 2 months earlier in winter- than in summer-pruned trees. The flowers were less in summer- than in winter-pruned trees. Fruit set was recorded in 2003 and 2004, and wa
