PRUNING, SPROUTING AND FRUCTIFICATION OF YOUNG PECAN WALNUT TREES CVS. WESTERN AND WICHITA

Abstract

Heading back pruning of young pecan trees (Carya illinoensis Koch) is a cultural practice that is becoming popular at La Comarca Lagunera, as a result of the influence from the pecan production areas of the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of different heading back pruning (HBP) intensities on bud break and yield of young Western' and Wichita  pecan trees.

There were not significant differences among treatments for lateral shoot formation; however HBP at half of the one year old shoots and the control had a higher number of terminal new shoots in 'Western' but not in 'Wichita'. As HBP intensity increased, the number of fruiting shoots tended to be lower specially with cv. 'Wichita'. This trend also caused a numerically important reduction in
yield of both cultivars.