Keywords
sunlight penetration
shading
nut yield
kernel percentage
How to Cite
Abstract
The volume of well-illuminated canopy is one of the main factors in the productivity of pecan trees. When mature pecan orchards with high densities (at least 100 trees per hectare) become overcrowded, photosynthetic active radiation penetration within the tree canopy, growth and nut production are affected adversely. Little research has been done to determine the effect of thinning on available sunlight and productivity of a pecan orchard. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of tree thinning on photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) available within permanent pecan trees, shoot growth, nut production and nut quality. This study was carried out in a mature pecan orchard thinned at different stages from 25 to 50 % during the 2004-2008 period. Available PAR within pecan trees, shoot growth, and nut production per tree were affected by thinning treatments; however nut quality (kernel percentage) per tree during the three-year period of the study was not significantly affected. The results of this study indicate that a gradual thinning in overcrowded pecan orchards could be done in order to recover growth and production components.
References
ANDERSEN, P. C. 1994. Lack of sunlight can limit pecan productivity in the southeastern U. S. The Pecan Grower. Georgia Pecan Grow. Assoc. 6(2): 20-21.
GOFF, B. 1992. The overcrowded dilemma. Pecan South. 25(9): 22-23.
HALLEY, R. L.; MALSTROM, H. L. 1979. How to calculate tree size for high density. The Pecan Quarterly. 13 (1): 22-23.
HERRERA, E. A. 1994. Thinning orchards at the proper time. Pecan South. 26(12): 6.
HERRERA, E. A. 1996. Sunlight management. Pecan South 29(7): 6-10.
LAW, J. M.; ATOR, D. W.; YOUNG, W. A. 1980. High density spacing: an alternative for pecan growers. Pecan South 2 (5): 36-41.
LOMBARDINI, L. 2006. One-time pruning of pecan trees induced limited and short-term benefits in canopy light penetration, yield, and nut quality. HortScience. 4(6):1469-1473.
MALSTROM, H. L.; SPARKS, D. 1973. Analysis of yield components in mature trees of ‘Schley’ pecan. Carya illinoensis K. Koch. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 98: 496-500.
McEACHERN, R. G. 1996. Correcting pecan tree crowding. Pecan South (6):10-13.
McEACHERN, R. G.; ZAJICEK, J. M. 1990. Pecan orchard design: tree spacing pruning and thinning. Pecan South 24(5): 5-9.
ROMBERG, L. D.; SMITH, C. L.; CRANE, H. L. 1959. Effects of irrigation and tree re-spacing (thinning) on pecan tree growth and nut production. p. 60-75. In Storey, B. (ed.). 38th Annual convention. Proc. The Texas Pecan Grow. Assoc. Forth Worth, TX. Jul. 14 -15. 1959.
SMITH, C. L. 1951. Some effects of thinning the stand on growth and yield of pecan trees. Proc. The Western Pecan Grow. Assoc. 45:60-69.
SPARKS, D. 1969. Some characteristics of shoot growth of pecan trees and their implications to yields. p. 60- 69. In Brison, F.R. and B. Storey. (Eds). 45th Annual convention. Proc. The Southeastern Pecan Gro. Assn. Austin, TX. Jul. 8-9. 1951.
SPARKS, D. 1975. The alternate fruit bearing problem in pecans. Proc. Northern Nut Grow. Assoc. 65: 145-157.
SPARKS, D. 1988. Shoot length influences production and abortion of pistillate flowers. Pecan South 22(6): 12-17.
SPARKS, D.; BRACK, C. E. 1981. Effect of removing leaves and fruit on return bloom and fruit set on the Stuart pecan. p. 69-72. In Sass, R. (ed.). 78th Annual convention. Proc. The Southeastern Pecan Grow. Assoc. Alabama. March 8-11. 1981.
WOOD, B. 1997. Big trees: dealing with the Southeastern’s dilemma. The Pecan Grow. Georgia Pecan Grow. Assoc. Inc. 28(4): 28-31.
WOOD, B. 2009. Mechanical hedge pruning of pecan in a relatively low-light environment. HortScience. 44(1):68-72.
WORLEY, R. E. 1991. Selective limb pruning intensity influence mature pecan trees and nut characteristics. HortScience 26: 126-128.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2010 Revista Chapingo Serie Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente