ISHS Acta Horticulturae 275: International Symposium on the Culture of Subtropical and Tropical Fruits and Crops
VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE HABIT OF THE GUAVA (‘PSIDIUM GUAJAVA’ CV. FAN RETIEF) IN RELATION TO PRUNING METHODS |
| Author: | J. de V. Lötter |
| Abstract:
Two experiments were conducted on the guava (‘Psidium guajava’, cv. Fan Retief) in the mild temperate Western Cape to determine the effect of the severity of pruning on its vegetative and reproductive relationship. An investigation into the influence of late Spring pruning of bearing shoots at different lengths on various vegetative and reproductive parameters, shows that severe pruning reduces total shoot length and cropsize, number of new shoots and inflorescences, and final number of fruit set but enhances fruit size. For best results, bearing shoots should be headed back from 5–6 to 4–7 node lengths, depending on the cultural status of the tree and market demand for the fruit. The guava is unique in that it can be pruned as severely as temperate tree fruit crops without the detrimental effect which the removal of foliage of other subtropical tree crops brings about. Heading back young fruit bearing shoots in summer (January) to improve light penetration into the tree, can only be justified when the shoots are headed back not closer than five nodes distal to the fruit on the shoot, due to the negative effect on fruit growth. | |
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