Blueberry plants possess fruit with high antioxidant and nutraceutical potential. This potential can be influenced by pruning severity, especially due to the impact in production and the effects of increased solar radiation on the fruit. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dry pruning intensity on the production and quality attributes of blueberry fruit from cultivars, Clímax, Bluegem and Powderblue, produced in the mesoregion of Pelotas, RS. For such, an experiment was conducted in Morro Redondo, RS during the growing season 2012/2013, using cultivars of the "Rabbiteye" group, Clímax, Bluegem and Powderblue. Pruning was performed at three intensity, normal, average e light levels on July 20th 2012. Dry pruning intensity influenced production and phytochemical content of blueberry fruit. The production of plants applied the light intensity pruning was higher than the production of plants applied medium and normal intensity, the same was observed in relation to the phenolic content of cv. Bluegem and Powderblue. For anthocyanin content, and other quality attributes pruning intensity had a distinct effect on the quality attributes of the different cultivars.
Vaccinium spp.; prodution; phytochemicals
