Improvements in yield and fruit quality in atemoya, mainly during the period of out of season are priorities for growers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the growth and yield of atemoya 'Gefner' under different pruning intensities. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with five treatments, four replications and one plant per block. The treatments were pruned to 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50cm in length. Number of flowers, length and diameter of branches sprouted, crown diameter, plant height, number of fruits in pre-harvest and harvest periods, total weight of fruits, fruit weight, fruit diameter, fruit length, peel, pulp and seed weight, soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH were evaluated. The characteristics were submitted to analysis of variance, and the effects of different lengths of branches prunedtested and adjusted in the regression equation. No significant influence were observed fordiameter of the crown, plant height, number of fruit in pre-harvest and harvest periods, totalweight of fruits, fruit weight, fruit diameter, fruit length, peel, pulp and seed weight, solublesolids, titratable acidity and pH. However, as the increased pruning intensities showed a linear reduction in the number of flowers, length and diameter of branches sprouted in atemoya tree 'Gefner'.
Annona cherimolia x Annona squamosa; branch length; fruit weight
