Page 57 - FRUTAS DEL TRÓPICO

pRuning stRategies to maximize tRopical mango yields fRom the
time of planting to RestoRation of old oRchaRds 57

pruning in early September allows sufficient age for optimum flowering of the resulting flush in
January-February.

Shape or formation prune

The purpose of shape pruning is to reduce the dimensions of the canopy in trees that are be-

coming overcrowded or to make it more convenient for tip pruning as part of the flowering
management program. This type of prune requires cutting branches ranging in size from 2 to

10 cm in diameter depending upon the original size of the trees. The depth of prune into the

canopy must be at least one meter inside the final desired dimensions in order to allow for

re-growth of the canopy (Fig. 7A). Figure 7B displays shape pruned trees in the same row as

those shown in Figure 7A. Background trees provide comparison of original size. The resulting

re-growth was tip pruned two times during the year following the shape prune event and to

be pruned a third time soon after the photo was taken (Fig. 7C). Tree response was a quick

restoration of the original number of stems at a lower canopy level than before and suppres-

sion of frequent flushing, thus making the tree more likely to flower in the next flowering sea-
son. Without tip pruning following a shape prune event, the resulting growth flushes from such

cuts are always frequent and vigorous with little branching. They commonly reach more than 2

meters in as many as 11 flushes in one year as indicated in Figure 8 displaying a branch resulting

from shape pruning that occurred 12 months previous. This vigorous growth prevents trees

from flowering in the tropics until they reach their original pre-pruned dimensions and return

to stable, infrequent flushes. Such vigorous growth is similar to that of young trees and, thus,

must be treated in the same manner as young trees with frequent tip pruning after the original
shape prune to maximize branching. If tip pruned three or four subsequent times during the

year, trees usually return to normal flush frequencies by suppressing subsequent flushes more

Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas