Journal
AGRICULTURE-BASEL
Volume 11, Issue 11, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/agriculture11111138
Keywords
Prunus armeniaca L.; crop load; young fruits; thinning machine
Categories
Funding
- Italian Ministry of Agriculture (MiPAAF) [DM 36503.7305.2018 del 20/12/2018]
- AGROENER project [26329]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The study tested a thinner machine equipped with a yellow rod device in relation to tree branch length and orientation in an apricot orchard in Italy. The results showed satisfactory thinning efficiency and reduced damage to fruits and branches, especially in relation to branch length and insertion point.
In this study, the thinner machine with yellow rod equipment was tested in relation to tree branch length and orientation in April 2019, in a narrow-canopied apricot orchard of Emilia Romagna Region, Italy. The trees were mechanically thinned with manual finishing, and comparative tests were carried out simultaneously with the ordinary hand thinning (control). Three groups of two plants were identified as replication for a total of six plants per row. Three rows were checked, considering field uniformity average. The branches were grouped into four classes according to their length: < 30 cm, 30-60 cm, 60-90 cm and > 90 cm. Branch inclination on the plant, radial or longitudinal with respect to the row, was evaluated. Fruit number before the thinning, after the first and the second machine intervention, after three days of the mechanical thinning and after the hand finishing was recorded. This experience showed satisfactory results in terms of thinning efficiency and reduced damage to both fruits and branches, as a function of the class length and insertion point in the main branch of the plant. Thinning efficiency was always kept above 37% of the left load after hand finishing, and on average between the treatments close to 44%. Fruit damages always remained below the economic thresholds to marketable production or to the plant.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available