ISHS Acta Horticulturae 705: V International Walnut Symposium
MECHANICAL PRUNING IN WALNUT HEDGEROW ORCHARD |
| Authors: | A. Ninot, M. Rovira, N. Aletà |
| Keywords: | hedging, walnut tree, yield, nut quality, Spain |
| Abstract:
Mechanical pruning was assessed on a hedgerow orchard of ‘Chico’ planted in 1988 at two planting distances (7m x 5m and 7m x 3.5m). Two schedule cycles of mechanical pruning (short and long) were trialled from 1998 to 2003. Hedging was made in pyramidal form, with a 60° angle respect horizontal, from 1.8m of the trunk and at 1.5m from the soil. The short schedule cycle (SC) pruned east side first year, the following winter the west side, and three years after the first pruning a new cycle was started. The long schedule cycle (LC) pruned east side first year, the west side two winters after pruning and four years after the first pruning another cycle was begun. In both cycles, the mechanically pruned side was thinned by hand two years after pruning to remove misplaced shoots. Yield and nut quality data were recorded for this period. Yield of walnut trees varied accordingly to the yearly pruning applied. Accumulated yield per tree and per hectare, for the period 1998 to 2003, were both significantly higher in the long cycle than in the short cycle, being 111.0 kg/tree and 37.65 t/ha in LC and 89.5 kg/tree and 30.20 t/ha in SC. The LC showed the highest yield efficiency although it was not statistically significant. Nut weight varied accordingly to the yearly pruning applied. Percentage of edible kernel from LC was not significantly different from SC, with an exception in 2000, when poor filled nuts were detected in a LC probably due to an excess of canopy pruning in the previous winter. After 6 years of hedging by mechanical pruning the vegetative response of walnut trees was keeping well, and the LC seems to be a good strategy for pruning walnuts in a hedgerow planting system. | |
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