Yield of yellow passion fruit orchard after different management of pruning for renewal

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the production and productivity of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg.) subjected to different pruning for renewal. The experiment was conducted in commercial orchard in Lavras, MG (21^o14’S; 45^o58’W; altitude de 910 m), from July/2006  to June/2008. The seedlings originated from seeds planted in 4x3 m spacing, conducted in a vertical trellis wire. The experimental design was randomized blocks in factorial scheme of 5x3: number of tertiary branches per plant (40, 30, 24, 20 and 14) and length of pruning branches (40, 80 and 120 cm) with  four replications of three plants. The following characteristics were evaluated: number of fruits per plant, mean weight of fruit, fruit and juice yield. The renewal pruning affected the amount and size of the yellow passion fruit. Plants that have suffered more severe pruning, leaving 14 and 20 stems and tertiary pruned to 40 cm in length, had lower productivity in the first season after renewal pruning.