Effects of different pruning treatment on the yield fruit quality and carbohydrate contents of almond, apricot and peach varieties

ABSTRACT PhD THESIS EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT PRUNING TREATMENTS ON THE YIELD, FRUIT QUALITY AND CARBOHYDRATE CONTENTS OF ALMOND, APRICOT AND PEACH VARHmES ALİ İKİNCİ DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE INSTUTE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF ÇUKUROVA Supervisor : Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali KÜDEN Year: 1999, Pages: 215 Jury : Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali KÜDEN Prof. Dr. Mustafa KAPLANKIRAN Prof. Dr. Ayzin Baykam KÜDEN This research was carried out at the TÜBİTAK - Koruklu Research Station during 1996- 1998 years in order to determine the effects of summer + winter and winter pruning applications on fruit yield, quality and shoot carbohydrate contents of 8 years old almond (Nonpareil and 101-9), apricot (Precoce de Colomer and Canino) and peach (Earlyred and Glohaven) trees. Summer + winter pruning applications have been found to delay flowering and shortened the blooming period. Trees, which were pruned in winter as well as control trees, exhibited early blossoming. Summer pruning before harvest (June and July) have resulted in earlier fruit ripening, reduced fruit yield per tree but resulted in higher fruit quality which in return increased market value. In all the fruit species tested, winter pruning resulted in higher crop per tree. Following pruning applications, kernel / nut ratio have only increased in 101-9 almond cultivar in 1998 compared to 1997. No significant differences in kernel / nut ratio was found in Nonpareil almond cultivar. There was no apperent relationship between pruning applications and fruit size of almond, apricot and peaches. Similarly, between pruning applications no consistent relationship were found in soluble solids content, pH and titratable acidity content during two consecutive years. Summer + winter pruning applications have tightened the ripening period of almond, apricot and peaches. Summer pruned apricot and peach trees exhibited better fruit coloring due to light enhancement. Among the different pruning applications, no consistent relationship was found between carbohdrate content of shoots. Winder pruned trees as well as control trees exhibited higher levels of carbohydrate compared to summer pruned trees. KEY WORDS; Budama, summer pruning, winter pruning, carbohydrate, pomology, almond, apricot, peach n