Reducing spacing and using lopping to enhance green fig production for industrialization

ABSTRACT

Increasing orchard density is an alternative approach for enhancing productivity of the fig tree. In addition to promoting better utilization of productive areas, increased density allows for the optimization of plant management. In some situations, it may be necessary to alter the pruning system. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the practices of reducing spacing and lopping shoots enhance green fig production for industrial purposes. The research was conducted in southern Minas Gerais State, Brazil (21°14’S and 45°00’W, 918 m in height) in an area with a tropical highland climate. A 3 × 2 factorial scheme was adopted, with three different plant spacings (0.50, 0.75, or 1 m, totaling plant densities of 8,000, 5,333, and 4,000 fig trees per hectare, respectively), and plants were managed with and without the lopping of productive shoots. The spacing between planting rows was standardized to 2.5 m. Two productive shoots were retained on all trees. In the lopping treatment, after the emergence of the 16th leaf, the shoot was topped (i.e., the apical bud was removed), and two new shoots were selected per productive shoot. Additional loppings were performed later, always after the emergence of the sixth leaf, totaling three loppings. Data were collected from each plot, which consisted of three useful plants, during two production cycles. It was concluded that smaller spacings decreased production per plant, but they increased green fig productivity. Lopping productive shoots increased fruit weight, the number of fruits per plant, and fig production.

Key words
Ficus carica ; Roxo de Valinhos; densification; pruning management