Branch pruning of plants of the Cucurbitaceae family is a very controversial practice. It has been questioned by technicians and farmers who search for information on how to improve fruit yield, especially for the field-grown staked cucumber plants. In this experiment, fruit yield of three cucumber hybrids with vertical staking and different methods of pruning were evaluated. The experiment, carried out at EPAMIG in Oratórios, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, from September to December 2010, was arranged in a randomized block design, with four replications in split plots. The plots were established by three cucumber hybrids [Aladim (salada), Natsuno Kagayaki (japanese) and Safira (caipira)] and the split-plots by five pruning methods. Seedlings were planted and the vertical staking system was applied. Harvesting initiated 52 days after sowing, when number of fruits and fresh mass of fruits and plants were evaluated. The hybrid Natsuno Kagayaki presented the highest yield (62.97 t/ha). Pruning did not influence number of fruits and fresh mass of fruits and plants. Cucumber fruit yield was not influenced by pruning method. In the Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais, plant pruning does not provide gains in yield and fruit quality for the evaluated groups and hybrids of cucumber
