Abstract
SUMMARY A large percentage of avocado orchards in South Africa are currently in an overcrowded state. Trees in these orchards have become so tall that they are difficult to spray or harvest. Results show that orchards in the initial phase of congestion can be selectively or mechanically pruned without adversely affecting yield. Trees that are already in a seriously congested condition have developed bare stems at their base with most of the foliage in the treetops. These denuded areas can be rehabilitated by more drastic pruning actions but without the need to staghorn the trees. When drastic pruning is fully applied immediately after harvest, one year’s yield will, however, be lost. A pyramidal tree shape is preferred in order to get an open V-shape in the work row. The tree height must not exceed 80% of the row width and possibly less where the work rows are not strictly north-south orientated or where the trees are on a slope. Current research is not only examining post-harvest pruning but also the correct follow-up summer pruning that needs to be applied. A complete orchard management program is essential to support the pruning actions so that controlled growth can take place, and production and fruit quality optimized. Additional advantages from a pruning program include more uniform and smaller trees where orchard operations and spray activities will be easier and cheaper.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Selective or mechanical pruning in initially congested orchards did not adversely affect yield.
- Taxon
- avocado
Persea americanat0 - Treatment
- selectively or mechanically prunede0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- without adversely affectinge0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“orchards in the initial phase of congestion can be selectively or mechanically pruned without adversely affecting yield”
t0“AVOCADO”
Claim · model-written summary
Drastic pruning can rehabilitate bare lower stems in seriously congested orchards.
- Taxon
- AVOCADOPersea americanat0
- Treatment
- more drastic pruning actionse0
- Outcome
- denuded areas can be rehabilitatede0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“These denuded areas can be rehabilitated by more drastic pruning actions but without the need to staghorn the trees”
t0“AVOCADO”
Claim · model-written summary
Drastic pruning immediately after harvest costs one year of yield.
- Taxon
- AVOCADOPersea americanat0
- Treatment
- drastic pruning is fully applied immediately after harveste0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- loste0
- Value
- one year’s yielde0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“When drastic pruning is fully applied immediately after harvest, one year’s yield will, however, be lost”
t0“AVOCADO”
Claim · model-written summary
A pyramidal tree shape is preferred to form an open V in the work row.
- Taxon
- AVOCADOPersea americanat0
- Outcome
- A pyramidal tree shape is preferrede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A pyramidal tree shape is preferred in order to get an open V-shape in the work row”
t0“AVOCADO”
Claim · model-written summary
Tree height should not exceed 80% of row width.
- Taxon
- AVOCADOPersea americanat0
- Outcome
- tree height must not exceed 80% of the row widthe0
- Value
- 80%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The tree height must not exceed 80% of the row width”
t0“AVOCADO”
Claim · model-written summary
An orchard management program is recommended to support pruning and optimize production and fruit quality.
- Taxon
- AVOCADOPersea americanat0
- Outcome
- A complete orchard management program is essentiale0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A complete orchard management program is essential to support the pruning actions so that controlled growth can take place, and production and fruit quality optimized”
t0“AVOCADO”
Claim · model-written summary
Pruning programs produce more uniform and smaller trees and easier, cheaper operations and spraying.
- Taxon
- AVOCADOPersea americanat0
- Treatment
- pruning programe0
- Outcome
- more uniform and smaller treese0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Additional advantages from a pruning program include more uniform and smaller trees where orchard operations and spray activities will be easier and cheaper”
t0“AVOCADO”
The same questions in other papers
pruning · yield · Persea americana (avocado)Results differ
9 papers in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction
- positive
- no effect
- negative
9 papers more in this group
See all 13 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.