Influence of different types of pruning on cherry tomato fruit production and quality

摘要

The aim of this study was to determine the most efficient pruning system with cherry tomato to achieve the highest level of production without loss of quality and, thus, to provide growers with an efficient management system. The study was done at the University of Almeria Anecoop Experimental Farm Foundation, Almeria, Spain (36 degrees 51'78 '' N; 2 degrees 17'08 '' W). Two pruning systems, TO with a main stem and a secondary stem (2S) and T1 with a main stem and a secondary stem plus four lateral branches with two racemes each (2S + 4B), were compared using the cherry tomato cultivar Salomee. System T1 resulted in a significantly larger quantity of fruit and a greater output in terms of weight per unit surface area. There was no significant difference in the quality parameters measured. Two elevated phases of production, harvesting in the greenhouses and in the summer, were obtained during the crop cycle for system T1, coinciding with harvesting from the additional branches (4B).