Field Evaluation of Blueberry Pruning Techniques

摘要

Pruning blueberry bushes is one of the most labor intensive and costly operations in a commercial planting. Proper pruning of blueberry plants will help obtain the desired plant size and shape, increase plant vigor and establishment of fruiting wood,reduce overfruiting and enhance size, and allow sufficient sunlight penetration into the canopy to assist with proper fruit development. Methods. In June 2010, immediately after the first harvest of a central Florida commercial blueberry planting that had been established for approximately 15 months, a trial was initiated to compare a grower standard pruning program to three pruning regimes (roof, box, and hedge) and an unpruned treatment in two southern highbush cultivars, ‘Jewell’ and ‘Emerald’. Three field days were held throughout the year for growers to evaluate the differences between pruning regimes. Over 80 central Florida blueberry growers attended a final field day to observe results of pruning techniques. These growers were surveyed to determine if they would adopt any of the pruning techniques that were demonstrated.