ABSTRACT:
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different management systems on plant varieties of blackberry. The experimental design was in completely randomized blocks in a split plot, 3x3 factorial design, with cultivars 'Tupy', 'Guarani' and 'Xavante' and three drive systems: without tutor, espalier in wires parallel, and espalier 'T'. The production of fruits, e average number of fruits and average mass per plant, fruit soluble solids were evaluated in 2009/2010, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 harvests. In the last two seasons it was also rated the fruit soluble solids and harvests. The conduction system influenced the productive behavior of the blackberry, and the system espalier 'T' highest yield and fruit number. Plants conducted in espalier 'T' and espalier had higher production (1357.4 and 1217.8g plant-1, respectively) and number of fruits (341.7 and 320.6 respectively), since the system without tutor provides fruit with higher average mass. Among the cultivars, the production differed between them, highlighting the 'Tupy' and 'Guarani' with 2098g and 2094g plant-1, respectively. However, the highest number of fruits per plant was higher in plants 'Guarani', being inversely proportional to the average mass of fruit for this cultivar. Cultivar 'Tupy' had better performance compared to other cultivars. The average number of fruits per plant was higher in plants 'Guarani'. Under the conditions of this study it was concluded that the productive performance of blackberry cultivar depends on the individual and also the conduction system adopted.
Key words:
Rubus; blackberry; cultivars; trelling; espalier
