Influence of Summer Pruning Time on Shoot Growth and Fruit Quality of ‘Fuji’/M.9 Apple Tree Damaged by the Low Air Temperature at Flowering Period

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The low temperature at flowering period break the balance between vegetative and reproductive growth of apple tree. Summer pruning has been used to control vegetative growth. So, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of summer pruning time on shoot growth and fruit quality of ‘Fuji’/M.9 apple trees damaged by the low temperature at flowering period. METHODS AND RESULTS: The following treatments were applied to tree : a) control (no summer pruning), b) pruned 26 June, c) pruned 30 July, d) pruned 28 August, and e) pruned 26 September. The summer pruning significantly increased light penetration and fruit red color by reducing the total shoot growth compared with control. And the summer pruning control the outbreak of apple valsa canker. But the summer pruning at the end of June increased regrowth of shoot and pruning weight compared with the summer pruning at the end of August. The summer pruning at 30 July had the highest fruit weight, but return bloom was the highest in the summer pruning at 28 August. CONCLUSION(S): These results indicated the optimum summer pruning time of ‘Fuji’/M.9 apple trees damaged by the low temperature at flowering period were the end of August.