Page 58 - FRUTAS DEL TRÓPICO

58 Frutas del trópico

with each tip prune such that they will be capable of flowering five months following the last
tip prune.

Severe prune

Once mango trees become so large, and the canopy migrates upwards far beyond the reach

of harvesters, it is no longer productive to maintain them (Fig 9A). Severe pruning is done to
rejuvenate these large trees so they will re-grow to a size amenable to a flower management

program. Re-growth of pruned trees is always located at the level where the prune cut was

made; hence, if the cuts are made at 7 M high, that is where the new canopy begins. In this

situation, growers soon find that the trees regain their height before going back into produc-

tion. In contrast, severely pruning a tree at 1.5 M (Fig. 9B, 10A) causes reestablishment of the

canopy low and within easy reach of pruners and fruit pickers (Fig. 10B). Frequent tip pruning

of the resulting shoots reduces the flush frequency back to normal usually by one year resulting

in resumption of flowering with production at no higher than three meters. These trees can

then be maintained at a desired canopy height and dimension for many years using annual tip
pruning as part of the annual flowering management program.

General considerations

Desired canopy height and width of mango trees depends upon tree spacing. Spacing between

trees within rows should not influence the desired canopy height unless one desires individual
trees within rows as opposed to hedgerows. Continuous shading of leaves always results in

loss of productive branches in the lower portions of the canopy. Trees must be adjusted in

height so that shading does not occur in skirts (lowest portion) of the tree canopy. Row spacing

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