Pruning Boosts Growth, Yield, and Fruit Quality of Old Valencia Orange Trees: A Field Study

Adel M. Al-Saif, Hosny F. Abdel-Aziz, Sobhy M. Khalifa, Ibrahim A. Elnaggar, Abd El-wahed N. Abd El-wahed, Mohammed H. Farouk and Ashraf E. Hamdy ()
Additional contact information
Adel M. Al-Saif: Department of Plant Production, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Hosny F. Abdel-Aziz: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11651, Egypt
Sobhy M. Khalifa: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11651, Egypt
Ibrahim A. Elnaggar: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11651, Egypt
Abd El-wahed N. Abd El-wahed: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11651, Egypt
Mohammed H. Farouk: Key Laboratory of Product Quality and Security, Ministry of Education, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
Ashraf E. Hamdy: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11651, Egypt

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: Pruning is an essential practice that helps control branch growth, optimize fruit size, and enhance fruit tree productivity. This study focused on ‘Valencia’ orange trees, which had experienced a decline in productivity after being cultivated on reclaimed lands for several years. The aim was to explore the impact of pruning intensity on vegetation growth, fruit yield, productivity, and fruit quality in these orange trees. The study involved 35-year-old ‘Valencia’ orange trees, which were subjected to four different levels of pruning. The pruning treatments included: T1—no pruning (control group), T2—light pruning (removal of 25% of main branches), T3—moderate pruning (removal of 50% of main branches), and T4—heavy pruning (removal of 75% of main branches). Each season, these pruning measures were consistently carried out on 15 February. The results indicated that the severity of pruning directly influenced vegetative growth parameters, such as shoot length and leaf area. As the pruning intensity increased, so did the growth of the vegetation. However, the overall volume of the tree’s canopy decreased compared to the control group. These findings provide insights into the relationship between pruning practices and the growth and productivity of ‘Valencia’ orange trees. The highest fruit yields were observed when pruning was carried out at a severity level of 75%, followed by 50 and 25%. These pruning treatments had a positive impact on various aspects of fruit quality, including weight, size, firmness, juice content, TSS (°Brix), TSS/acid ratio, and vitamin C content. Additionally, pruning contributed to a greater fruit yield per tree and an overall increase in the yield percentage. In essence, the findings suggest that pruning performed at different severity levels in February effectively promotes vegetation growth and enhances the physical and chemical properties of ‘Valencia’ orange trees. Notably, it resulted in a nearly 20% rise in fruit yield compared to the control group.

Keywords: Citrus sinensis L.; decline in productivity; correct pruning; tree canopy; yield; vitamin C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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