Page 51 - FRUTAS DEL TRÓPICO

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Pruning is an operation familiar to all horticulturists managing growth and reproductive habits
of fruit trees. Pruning trees grown on a large scale in the tropics require strategies to keep

them highly productive for many years. The mango has been the subject of numerous pruning

strategies in various parts of the world (Gross, 1996; Medina-Urrutia and Nuñez-Elisea, 1996;

Oosthuyse, 1992; Oosthuyse, 1994; Oosthuyse, 1997; Oosthuyse and Jacobs, 1996; Poffley,

1994; Rao, 1971; Stassen et al., 1999).

Mango trees are grown in warm conditions of the tropics and subtopics that promote

frequent flushes of vegetative growth. In the tropics, the age of the last flush is the dominant
factor regulating flowering of mango (Davenport, 2003). Stems must be in rest for sufficient

time, generally about 4 to 5 months, to be induced to flower in the absence of chilling tempe-

ratures. Moderately cool temperatures that can reach deep into tropical dry and high elevation

locations during winter months provide additional stimulus to flower on stems of a given age.

Mango trees generally begin commercial production in three to four years after planting

and continue to produce increasing yields as canopies enlarge until shading by adjacent trees

forces the growth upwards and out of reach of harvesters. Lower branches supporting pre-

vious year’s productive stems die back due to shading by higher branches. Flowering and fruit

production in mango occurs on stem terminals; therefore, as canopy size increases, produc-
tion moves to the top as competition for available light continues. Eventually, fruit production

occurs so high in the canopy that it becomes unreachable. This generally occurs within 20

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