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Management of blackberry pruning to extend harvest seasonality

Manejo da poda de amora-preta para aumentar a sazonalidade da colheita

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the pruning management of the BRS Tupy and Brazos blackberry cultivars, in order to extend their harvest seasonality and fruit yield. The experiment was performed in an altitude subtropical region in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Bushes were grown at 3.0x0.5 m spacing. The treatments consisted of the four following pruning seasons: one conventional pruning, with suppression of the produced stems in February and reduction of the stems in July; and three drastic pruning performed in the first two weeks of January, March, and May, with the application of 10% urea and 3% hydrogenated cyanamide five months later. The experimental design was in randomized complete blocks, in a 2x4 factorial arrangement, with two cultivars and four pruning managements, with four blocks. Fruit phenology, yield, and physicochemical quality were evaluated in two production cycles. It is possible to extend the harvest season of blackberry up to five months, in an altitude subtropical region in Lavras, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, with drastic pruning in January and no irrigation. Drastic pruning in January or March increases the yield of the BRS Tupy and Brazos blackberry cultivars. The extended harvest season does not affect the quality of blackberries and does not create challenges for harvesting operations.

Index terms
Rubus; drastic pruning; off-season production

Resumo

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o manejo da poda das cultivares de amoreira-preta BRS Tupy e Brazos, para prolongar sua época de colheita e produtividade de frutos. O experimento foi realizado em uma região subtropical de altitude, no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Os arbustos foram conduzidos em espaçamento 3.0x0.5 m. Os tratamentos consistiram das seguintes quatro épocas de poda: uma poda convencional, com supressão das hastes produzidas em fevereiro e redução das hastes em julho; e três podas drásticas realizadas nas primeiras duas semanas de janeiro, março e maio, com aplicação de ureia a 10% e cianamida hidrogenada a 3% cinco meses depois. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, em arranjo fatorial 2x4, com duas cultivares e quatro manejos de podas, com quatro blocos. A fenologia, a produção e a qualidade físico-química das frutas foram avaliadas em dois ciclos produtivos. É possível estender a época da colheita da amora preta para cinco meses, na região subtropical de altitude de Lavras, no estado de Minas Gerais, com poda drástica em janeiro e sem irrigação. A poda drástica em janeiro ou março aumenta a produção das cultivares de amora-preta BRS Tupy e Brazos. O período prolongado de colheita não afeta a qualidade das amoras e não cria desafios para as operações de colheita.

Termos para indexação
Rubus; poda drástica; produção fora de época

Introduction

Interest in the consumption of blackberry (Rubus spp.) has increased in recent years because its fruit confer nutritional health benefits (Raseira et al., 2020RASEIRA, M. do C.B.; FRANZON, R.C.; FELDBERG, N.P.; ANTUNES, L.E.C.; SCARANARI, C. 'BRS Cainguá', a blackberry fresh-market cultivar. Crop Breeding and Applied Biotechnology, v.20, e26632014, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-70332020v20n1c4.
https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-70332020v20...
). Blackberries are rich in phenolic compounds, such as tannins, stilbenes, and flavonoids (Guedes et al., 2014GUEDES, M.N.S.; MARO, L.A.C.; ABREU, C.M.P. de; PIO, R.; PATTO, L.S. Composição química, compostos bioativos e dissimilaridade genética entre cultivares de amoreira (Rubus spp.) cultivadas no Sul de Minas Gerais. Revista Brasileira de Fruticultura, v.36, p.206-213, 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0100-2945-230/13.
https://doi.org/10.1590/0100-2945-230/13...
; Souza et al., 2014aSOUZA, V.R. de; PEREIRA, P.A.P.; PINHEIRO, A.C.M.; LIMA, L.C. de O.; PIO, R.; QUEIROZ, F. Analysis of the subtropical blackberry cultivar potential in jelly processing. Journal of Food Science, v.79, p.S1776-S1781, 2014a. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.12565.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.12565...
).

Blackberry is traditionally cultivated in temperate regions; it has a deciduous habit and needs low temperatures to overcome the endodormancy of its buds (Campagnolo & Pio, 2012bCAMPAGNOLO, M.A.; PIO, R. Phenological and yield performance of black and redberry cultivars in western Paraná state. Acta Scientiarum. Agronomy, v.34, p.439-444, 2012b. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4025/actasciagron.v34i4.15528.
https://doi.org/10.4025/actasciagron.v34...
; Teixeira et al., 2021TEIXEIRA, L.A.J.; BETTIOL NETO, J.E.; SANCHES, J.; PIO, R. Blackberry cultivars, nitrogen and potassium fertilization under drastic summer pruning in a subtropical area. Bragantia, v.80, e4921, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4499.20200527.
https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4499.202005...
). To facilitate the exploitation of blackberry in subtropical regions, a series of studies were conducted to select the most promising cultivars and to adapt the cultural management of pruning (Tadeu et al., 2015TADEU, M.H.; SOUZA, F.B.M. de; PIO, R.; VALLE, M.H.R. do; LOCATELLI, G.; GUIMARÃES, G.F.; SILVA, B.E.C. Poda drástica de verão e produção de cultivares de amoreira-preta em região subtropical. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, v.50, p.132-140, 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2015000200005.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X201500...
).

In a study on the selection of blackberry cultivars in the Cfa climate-humid subtropical zone, higher fruit production and yield were observed with the blackberry 'Brazos' (Campagnolo & Pio, 2012bCAMPAGNOLO, M.A.; PIO, R. Phenological and yield performance of black and redberry cultivars in western Paraná state. Acta Scientiarum. Agronomy, v.34, p.439-444, 2012b. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4025/actasciagron.v34i4.15528.
https://doi.org/10.4025/actasciagron.v34...
). Conversely, in the conditions of Cwb climate in an altitude subtropical region, the Brazos, BRS Tupy and Guarani cultivars produced fruit with a greater fresh mass. 'Brazos' showed the highest yield, and 'BRS Tupy' had the best balance between soluble solids and acidity (Curi et al., 2015CURI, P.N.; PIO, R.; MOURA, P.H.A.; TADEU, M.H.; NOGUEIRA, P.V.; PASQUAL, M. Produção de amora-preta e amora-vermelha em Lavras - MG. Ciência Rural, v.45, p.1368-1374, 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-8478cr20131572.
https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-8478cr20131...
). Importantly, in both studies, the harvest season of the blackberry cultivars was concentrated between the months October and January.

Blackberry pruning in Brazil is performed in two stages: one in the summer (January), with the suppression of stems that emerge near the ground, and the shortening of new stems that emerge from the soil; another pruning is performed in the winter (July), with the shortening of the lateral stems (Pio et al., 2012PIO, R.; ALVARENGA, A.A.; MOURA, P.H.A.; CURI, P.N. Produção de amora-preta e framboesa em regiões de clima quente. Informe Agropecuário, v.33, p.46-57, 2012.).

Staggered pruning in winter (from June to September) could be an option to extend the harvest season. However, there is no change of the traditional harvest season, in subtropical regions, when pruning is performed at different times during the late fall and early winter - from May to September (Campagnolo & Pio, 2012dCAMPAGNOLO, M.A.; PIO, R. Produção da amoreira-preta 'Tupy' sob diferentes épocas de poda. Ciência Rural, v.42, p.225-231, 2012d. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-84782012005000007.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-8478201200...
).

In an attempt to improve the pruning management of blackberry in Brazilian subtropical regions, a drastic summer pruning system was developed, and it was applied in January. In this system, at the end of January, the entire canopy structure is eliminated close to the ground (suppression pruning); and, in July, the excess branches are suppressed, and the lateral stems are shortened (Tadeu et al., 2015TADEU, M.H.; SOUZA, F.B.M. de; PIO, R.; VALLE, M.H.R. do; LOCATELLI, G.; GUIMARÃES, G.F.; SILVA, B.E.C. Poda drástica de verão e produção de cultivares de amoreira-preta em região subtropical. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, v.50, p.132-140, 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2015000200005.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X201500...
).

However, the application of hydrogenated cyanamide resulted in the anticipation of budding and harvesting in blackberry grown in a subtropical region (Cwa climate), and subjected to the conventional pruning system (Leonel et al., 2016LEONEL, S.; SEGANTINI, D.M.; TECCHIO, M.A.; FERREIRA, R.B.; SOUZA, J.M.A. AURICCHIO, M.G.R. Garlic extract and hydrogen cyanamide on 'Tupy' blackberry bud sprouting, flowering and harvest. Australian Journal of Crop Science, v.10, p.1375-1380, 2016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21475/ajcs.2016.10.09.p7900.
https://doi.org/10.21475/ajcs.2016.10.09...
). Hydrogenated cyanamide (H2CN2) is used for the artificial release of bud endodormancy (Petri et al., 2014PETRI, J.L.; LEITE, G.B.; COUTO, M.; GABARDO, G.C.; HAVERROTH, F.J. Chemical induction of budbreak: new generation products to replace hydrogen cyanamide. Acta Horticulturae, v.1042, p.159-166, 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1042.19.
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2014...
).

The scaled drastic pruning with the application of hydrogenated cyanamide may promote the off-season production. Blueberry 'BRS Tupy' shows unevenness at the beginning of budding and flowering. However, an effective standardization was observed in this crop, when it was subjected to the application of 3% hydrogenated cyanamide, in cultivation under conventional pruning, in a subtropical region (Segantini et al., 2011SEGANTINI, D.M.; LEONEL, S.; RIPARDO, A.K. da S.; AURICCHIO, M.G.R. Uso de reguladores de crescimento para a superação da dormência e sua influência na brotação, no florescimento e na produção da amoreira-preta. Revista Brasileira de Fruticultura, v.33, p.275-280, 2011. Volume especial. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-29452011000500034.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-2945201100...
).

The objective of this work was to evaluate the pruning management of the BRS Tupy and Brazos blackberry cultivars, in order to extend their harvest seasonality and fruit yield.

Materials and Methods

The experiment was conducted in the municipality of Lavras, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The experimental area is part of the Department of Agriculture of the Escola de Ciências Agrárias de Lavras, Universidade Federal de Lavras (ESAL/UFLA). The area is located at 21°14'S, 45°00'W, at 918 m altitude. According to the Köppen-Geiger’s classification, the region shows a Cwb type - high-altitude tropical climate (mesothermal), with dry winters, and concentrated rains from October to March, with greater intensity between December and February (Alvares et al., 2013ALVARES, C.A.; STAPE, J.L.; SENTELHAS, P.C.; GONÇALVES, J.L. de M.; SPAROVEK, G. Köppen’s climate classification map for Brazil. Meteorologische Zeitschrift, v.22, p.711-728, 2013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2013/0507.
https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2013/0...
).

The soil of experimental area was classified as a Cambissolo Háplico (Guimarães et al., 2021GUIMARÃES, D.V.; SILVA, M.L.N.; BENIAICH, A.; PIO, R.; GONZAGA, M.I.S.; AVANZI, J.C.; BISPO, D.F.A.; CURI, N. Dynamics and losses of soil organic matter and nutrients by water erosion in cover crop management systems in olive groves, in tropical regions. Soil & Tillage Research, v.209, art.104863, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2020.104863.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2020.104...
), according to Santos et al. (2018)SANTOS, H.G. dos; JACOMINE, P.K.T.; ANJOS, L.H.C. dos; OLIVEIRA, V.Á. de; LUMBRERAS, J.F.; COELHO, M.R.; ALMEIDA, J.A. de; ARAÚJO FILHO, J.C. de; OLIVEIRA, J.B. de; CUNHA, T.J.F. Sistema brasileiro de classificação de solos. 5.ed. rev. e ampl. Brasília: Embrapa, 2018. 355p., corresponding to an Inceptisol. The soil acidity in the experimental area was corrected with the application of 2.3 Mg ha-1 of dolomitic limestone and the base fertilization was carried out with 5 L organic matter for composting, in addition to mineral sources of P (300 g simple superphosphate) and K (150 g potassium chloride) per linear meter. Soil analysis, conducted at 0-20 cm soil depths, showed the following values: 5.6 pH; 48.9 g dm-3 organic matter; 141.1 mg dm-3 P; 10.8 mmolc dm-3 Ca; 2.9 mmolc dm-3 Mg; 14.5 mmolc dm-3 sum of bases; and 15.1 mmolc dm-3 cation exchange capacity. The climatic data for the experimental period are shown (Figure 1).

Figure 1
Mean maximum and minimum temperatures and mean monthly cumulative rainfall between January 2020 and May 2022. Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA, Lavras, MG, Brazil).

Young nurseries of 'BRS Tupy' and 'Brazos' blackberry were produced by using root cuttings (Campagnolo & Pio, 2012aCAMPAGNOLO, M.A.; PIO, R. Enraizamento de estacas caulinares e radiculares de cultivares de amoreira-preta coletadas em diferentes épocas, armazenadas a frio e tratadas com AIB. Ciência Rural, v.42, p.232-237, 2012a. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-84782012000200008.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-8478201200...
), and they were brought to the field in November 2017 and planted at 3.0x0.5 m spacing (density of 6,667 bushes per hectare). The young nurseries were conducted using a trellis consisting of treated eucalyptus poles (8-10 cm diameter), with a “T” wire (double parallel galvanized wire) spaced at 60 cm apart, and with 80 cm height. These nurseries were grown following the recommendations by Pio et al. (2012)PIO, R.; ALVARENGA, A.A.; MOURA, P.H.A.; CURI, P.N. Produção de amora-preta e framboesa em regiões de clima quente. Informe Agropecuário, v.33, p.46-57, 2012., for the cultivation of blackberry under subtropical conditions.

The treatments consisted of four pruning seasons: one conventional pruning (suppression of the stems produced in February, and reduction of the stems in July, in 2020 and 2021); and three drastic prunings performed in the first two weeks of January, March, or May, in 2020 and 2021.

For the control treatment (conventional pruning), the stems that were produced at the end of the harvest (February) were suppressed close to the ground, and four new primary stems were maintained by pruning apices. At the beginning of June, the four primary rods were reduced to 30 cm above the wire of the spreader, and eight secondary rods were maintained and reduced to 20 cm length.

For the treatments consisting of drastic pruning, performed in January, March, or May, all stems close to the soil, including those that were not producing yet, were removed at 5 cm height from the soil. The bushes subjected to drastic pruning remained in development for five months, after each drastic pruning (January, March, or May). Subsequently, 10% urea was applied to promote leaf burning and falling. After seven days, hydrogenated cyanamide (Dormex, BASF Agro Brazil, Camaçari, BA, Brazil) was applied at 3% a.i. concentration, using a backpack sprayer (Segantini et al., 2011SEGANTINI, D.M.; LEONEL, S.; RIPARDO, A.K. da S.; AURICCHIO, M.G.R. Uso de reguladores de crescimento para a superação da dormência e sua influência na brotação, no florescimento e na produção da amoreira-preta. Revista Brasileira de Fruticultura, v.33, p.275-280, 2011. Volume especial. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-29452011000500034.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-2945201100...
). The control treatment (conventional pruning), urea and hydrogenated cyanamide were not applied.

The treatments consisted of four pruning management systems for blackberry 'BRS Tupy' and 'Brazos'. Evaluations were performed in two production cycles, 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. The experiment was carried out in randomized blocks, in a 2x4 factorial arrangement (two cultivars and four pruning times) with four blocks, which contained eight bushes, with six useful bushes per experimental unit.

In the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 production cycles, the beginning and the end of the phenological stages and the duration of the harvest were recorded (Hussain et al., 2016HUSSAIN, I.; ROBERTO, S.R.; FONSECA, I.C.B.; ASSIS, A.M. de; KOYAMA, R.; ANTUNES, L.E.C. Phenology of 'Tupy' and 'Xavante' blackberries grown in a subtropical area. Scientia Horticulturae, v.201 p.78-83, 2016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.01.036.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.0...
, 2017HUSSAIN, I.; ROBERTO, S.R.; KOYAMA, R.; ASSIS, A.M. de; COLOMBO, R.C.; FONSECA, I.C.B.; ANTUNES, L.E.C. Performance of 'Tupy' and 'Xavante' blackberries under subtropical conditions. Fruits, v.72, p.166-173, 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17660/th2017/72.3.6.
https://doi.org/10.17660/th2017/72.3.6...
). Production variables - number of fruit per bush; production (g per bush) and estimated fruit yield (kg ha-1) - were evaluated during the production phase of each treatment. Every three days, fruit from each plot were harvested, counted, and weighed with the aid of a semianalytical scale Shimadzu SHI-AUX-220 model (Shimadzu Excellence in Science, São Paulo, SP, Brazil). At the end of the production cycle, all fruit and all recorded masses were totaled to determine the production per bush. The estimated yield was obtained by multiplying the production by the population density (6,667 bushes per hectare).

Twenty fruit were collected per block 30 days after the beginning of the harvest, in each production cycle, to determine the following physicochemical characteristics: mean fruit mass, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), and TSS/TA ratio. Titratable acidity (g 100 g-1) was obtained by titrating the samples with 0.1 N NaOH solution (in % citric acid). Soluble solids (SS, °Brix) were determined with the aid of a portable refractometer (RTD-45 model, Cial, São Paulo, SP, Brazil), at 20°C. The SS/TA ratio was determined by dividing the value of soluble solids by acidity.

Data were subjected to Tukey’s comparison test, at 5% probability. The analyses were performed using the computer program for analysis of variance Sisvar, version 5.6. (Ferreira, 2014FERREIRA, D.F. Sisvar: a guide for its bootstrap procedures in multiple comparisons. Ciência e Agrotecnologia, v.38, p.109-112, 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-70542014000200001.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-7054201400...
).

Results and Discussion

The harvest season of 'BRS Tupy' and 'Brazos' was extended up to approximately five months; and these cultivars were subject to drastic pruning in January (harvest start in September), and conventional pruning (harvest end in Febuary) (Table 1).

Table 1
Beginning of harvest (BH), end of harvest (EH), and duration of harvest (DH) of the BRS Tupy and Brazos blackberry cultivars, in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 production cycles, grown under different pruning management systems, in conditions of an altitude subtropical climate: conventional pruning (CP), drastic pruning in January (DP January), drastic pruning in March (DP March) and drastic pruning in May (DP May), in an altitude subtropical region in Lavras, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil(1).

In comparison with the conventional pruning, the drastic pruning in January anticipated the harvest by 39 days, in both production cycles - 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 (Table 1). Drastic pruning in January made it possible to harvest blackberries at the end of September and throughout October, when rainfall is low in the altitude subtropical region of southern Minas Gerais (Figure 1). According to Campagnolo & Pio (2012c)CAMPAGNOLO, M.A.; PIO, R. Poda drástica para a produção da amora-preta em regiões subtropicais. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, v.47, p.934-938, 2012c. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2012000700009.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X201200...
, this anticipation is not related to pruning management, since no differences were observed between the beginning of the harvest for 'BRS Tupy' blackberry bushes subjected to conventional pruning and drastic pruning, both in January, in a subtropical region. The change of anticipation is probably related to the application of hydrogenated cyanamide to bushes that underwent drastic pruning. The dormancy breaking of 'BRS Tupy' blackberry using hydrogenated cyanamide on bushes, in a subtropical region, anticipated and standardized budding and flowering, and generated the highest budding and yield values for this cultivar, according to Segantini et al. (2011)SEGANTINI, D.M.; LEONEL, S.; RIPARDO, A.K. da S.; AURICCHIO, M.G.R. Uso de reguladores de crescimento para a superação da dormência e sua influência na brotação, no florescimento e na produção da amoreira-preta. Revista Brasileira de Fruticultura, v.33, p.275-280, 2011. Volume especial. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-29452011000500034.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-2945201100...
.

Another point to be discussed is the anticipation of the beginning of the harvest of the second production cycle, in relation to the first cycle, for bushes that received drastic pruning in March and in May (Table 1). In the first production cycle, rainfall between September and November was lower than that in the second cycle (Figure 1). In the present study, there was no irrigation supplementation; however, there is a need for irrigation for blackberry that will receive later pruning in altitude subtropical regions. This practice can assist in stem growth and anticipate the beginning of harvest.

In the two studied cultivars, the results were inversely proportional for the number of fruit and the average mass of blackberries. In the two evaluation cycles, the drastic pruning, performed in January and March, stimulated an increase of the number of fruit per bush, but the average mass of blackberries was lower than that for bushes subjected to conventional pruning and pruning in May (Table 2). This finding could be related to the balancing of the translocation of photoassimilates. However, this hypothesis is rejected because the fresh vegetative mass of the branches was lower for bushes subjected to conventional pruning and drastic pruning in May than for bushes subjected to drastic pruning in January and March (Table 3). This difference may be related to fruit competition in the bushes because the difference in the number of fruit was very large between bushes subjected to drastic pruning in January and March and those subjected to conventional pruning and drastic pruning in May (Table 2).

Table 2
Number of fruit, fresh fruit weight, production per bush, and estimated yield of the BRS Tupy and Brazos blackberry cultivars, in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 production cycles, grown under different pruning management systems, in conditions of an altitude subtropical climate: conventional pruning (CP), drastic pruning in January (DP January), drastic pruning in March (DP March) and drastic pruning in May (DP May), in an altitude subtropical region in Lavras, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil(1).
Table 3
Fresh vegetative mass of shoots (FVMS) emerged from the pruning, and titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), and TSS/TA ratio of the BRS Tupy and Brazos blackberry cultivars, in the production cycles 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, grown under different pruning management systems, in conditions of an altitude subtropical climate: conventional pruning (CP), drastic pruning in January (DP January), drastic pruning in March (DP March), and drastic pruning in May (DP May), in an altitude subtropical region in Lavras, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil(1).

The highest production per bush and estimated yield were obtained for bushes subjected to drastic pruning in January, both for 'BRS Tupy' and 'Brazos' (Table 2). Notably, there was no anticipation or prolongation of the harvest for the drastic pruning performed in March, in comparison to the drastic pruning performed in January (Table 1). As the fruit yield was substantially higher in bushes pruned in January, the pruning in March in altitude subtropical regions should not be considered a management option.

The lower production after drastic pruning performed in May, in comparison with those of other pruning management systems, was expected because Campagnolo & Pio (2012c)CAMPAGNOLO, M.A.; PIO, R. Poda drástica para a produção da amora-preta em regiões subtropicais. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, v.47, p.934-938, 2012c. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2012000700009.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X201200...
have already reported that the drastic pruning of blackberry in late autumn and early winter results in lower production.

According to Tadeu et al. (2015)TADEU, M.H.; SOUZA, F.B.M. de; PIO, R.; VALLE, M.H.R. do; LOCATELLI, G.; GUIMARÃES, G.F.; SILVA, B.E.C. Poda drástica de verão e produção de cultivares de amoreira-preta em região subtropical. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, v.50, p.132-140, 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2015000200005.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X201500...
, in comparison to conventional pruning, drastic pruning management performed in January generates increased production and yield.

In conventional pruning, only four primary stems per bush are maintained after pruning, at the end of harvest; and in drastic summer pruning, the emitted stems grow freely. Thus, the number of leaves is higher for bushes subjected to drastic summer pruning, to the detriment of the greater number of stems per bush; this occurs probably because there is a greater production of photoassimilates (reserves) and, consequently, higher flower emissions (Campagnolo & Pio, 2012dCAMPAGNOLO, M.A.; PIO, R. Produção da amoreira-preta 'Tupy' sob diferentes épocas de poda. Ciência Rural, v.42, p.225-231, 2012d. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-84782012005000007.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-8478201200...
).

However, there was a great elasticity of production in relation to drastic pruning performed in January and conventional pruning also performed in January. This can be attributed to the defoliation and the use of hydrogenated cyanamide, five months after drastic pruning, which potentiated the emission of shoots and flowers, an effect not observed for conventional pruning. A greater uniformity and consequent production were reported for blackberry, when hydrogenated cyanamide was used to break dormancy (Leonel et al., 2016LEONEL, S.; SEGANTINI, D.M.; TECCHIO, M.A.; FERREIRA, R.B.; SOUZA, J.M.A. AURICCHIO, M.G.R. Garlic extract and hydrogen cyanamide on 'Tupy' blackberry bud sprouting, flowering and harvest. Australian Journal of Crop Science, v.10, p.1375-1380, 2016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21475/ajcs.2016.10.09.p7900.
https://doi.org/10.21475/ajcs.2016.10.09...
).

There was no difference for the fruit quality of 'BRS Tupy' and 'Brazos' blackberry in both production cycles, due to the use of different pruning management practices (Table 3), a finding that is consistent with the results reported by Campagnolo & Pio (2012c)CAMPAGNOLO, M.A.; PIO, R. Poda drástica para a produção da amora-preta em regiões subtropicais. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, v.47, p.934-938, 2012c. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2012000700009.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X201200...
. The difference of concentration of soluble solids and acidity is associated with the intrinsic characteristics of the cultivar, according to Tadeu et al. (2015)TADEU, M.H.; SOUZA, F.B.M. de; PIO, R.; VALLE, M.H.R. do; LOCATELLI, G.; GUIMARÃES, G.F.; SILVA, B.E.C. Poda drástica de verão e produção de cultivares de amoreira-preta em região subtropical. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, v.50, p.132-140, 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2015000200005.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X201500...
.

However, there may be a difference between plants of the same cultivar, when comparing different cultivation sites with different climatic characteristics (Campagnolo & Pio, 2012bCAMPAGNOLO, M.A.; PIO, R. Phenological and yield performance of black and redberry cultivars in western Paraná state. Acta Scientiarum. Agronomy, v.34, p.439-444, 2012b. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4025/actasciagron.v34i4.15528.
https://doi.org/10.4025/actasciagron.v34...
, 2012dCAMPAGNOLO, M.A.; PIO, R. Produção da amoreira-preta 'Tupy' sob diferentes épocas de poda. Ciência Rural, v.42, p.225-231, 2012d. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-84782012005000007.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-8478201200...
; Curi et al., 2015CURI, P.N.; PIO, R.; MOURA, P.H.A.; TADEU, M.H.; NOGUEIRA, P.V.; PASQUAL, M. Produção de amora-preta e amora-vermelha em Lavras - MG. Ciência Rural, v.45, p.1368-1374, 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-8478cr20131572.
https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-8478cr20131...
). The variations among levels of chemical compounds, based on the location where blackberries are grown, occur due to differences in the intensity of solar radiation and thermal amplitude, which affects the organoleptic characteristics of the fruit (Souza et al., 2014bSOUZA, V.R. de; PEREIRA, P.A.P.; SILVA, T.L.T. da; LIMA, L.C. de O.; PIO, R.; QUEIROZ, F. Determination of the bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and chemical composition of Brazilian blackberry, red raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and sweet cherry fruits. Food Chemistry, v.156, p.362-368, 2014b. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.01.125.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2014....
).

Conclusions

  1. It is possible to extend the harvest season of 'BRS Tupy' and 'Brazos' blackberry (Rubus spp.) up to five months, by applying drastic pruning in January and no irrigation, in an altitude subtropical region in Lavras, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

  2. The drastic pruning made in January or March increases the yield of 'BRS Tupy' and 'Brazos' blackberry; and extended harvest does not affect the fruit quality and does not create challenges for harvesting operations.

Acknowledgments

To Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes, Finance Code 001), for financial support; to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and to Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (Fapemig), for financial support; and to Universidade Federal de Lavras (Ufla), for providing the materials used to conduct the study.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    20 Oct 2023
  • Date of issue
    2023

History

  • Received
    29 Nov 2022
  • Accepted
    25 Apr 2023
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