Enhancing plant growth and yield in dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) through strategic pruning: A comprehensive approach for sunburn and disease management

• Published in: Scientia horticulturae Vol. 337; p. 113562
• Main Authors: Doke, Akash, Kakade, V.D., Patil, R.A., Morade, A.S., Chavan, S.B., Salunkhe, V.N., Nangare, D.D., Boraiah, K.M., Thorat, K.S., Reddy, K.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-11-2024
• Subjects: antioxidants enzymes; Canopy management; flowering; fruit size; fruitful cladodes; Canopy management; fruit size; antioxidants enzymes; flowering; fruitful cladodes
• ISSN: 0304-4238
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2024.113562

•Canopy pruning levels imposed in 10 year old dragon fruit grown in shallow basaltic lands in semi-arid region of India.•Strategic pruning enhanced new sprouts, fruitful cladodes, fruit set, and light penetration in mop-top training system.•Canopy renewal, reduced pathogen inoculum and microclimate modification decreased disease and sunburn incidence•Annual yield increment was more prominent in moderately and lightly pruned plants compared to un-pruned canopies.
Effective canopy management in fruit crops is imperative for development of an ideal plant framework which facilitates uniform distribution of incident light, air circulation, thus to improve microclimate. This sustains photosynthesis and reduces spread of pest-diseases, addresses competition among fruits to achieve high productivity. This study aims to assess the impact of canopy management through strategic pruning on growth, physiological and biochemical changes, flowering, fruiting and incidence of sunburn and diseases in dragon fruit. The results indicated improvement in chlorophyll content and NDVI in pruned canopy. Pruning not only increased production of new sprouts but also fruitful cladodes compare to un-pruned plants. Canopy treatments significantly reduced sunburn by 67.68 % and 69.05 % in 2022 and 2023, whereas disease incidence was minimized by 43.23 and 81.51 %, respectively over control. Compared to first year, lightly and moderately pruned plants shown yield increment of 11 to 48 % during second year reaching at non-significant level to yield in control, where yield increment was just 2.8 %. Cladode numbers were positively correlated with sunburn, diseases, fruit yield and negatively correlated with sprouting and fruitful cladodes. Therefore, it is advisable to maintain 120-160 cladodes or 12 to 14 cladodes per square meter in mop-top training system through need based light pruning in semi-arid regions.