Agroclimatic Zoning of European and Asian Pear Cultivars With Potential for Commercial Planting in Southern Brazil

Abstract

-Pear is among the fruits of major commercial interest in the world and one of the most imported in Brazil. Brazilian production is very small and the fruit quality is low, due to production problems. The success of culture in the country, among other factors, may be linked to the choice of cultivars, pollinating and rootstocks better adapted to local conditions, and thus depend on the particulars of an agricultural zoning. The aim of this study was to identify, in southern Brazil, homogeneous climatic zones with potential for growing of European and Asian pears, through climate risk studies. The regions were defined by the seasonal availability of chilling hours (<7.2 °C) accumulated during the period from May to September and the monthly risk of drought. The analysis allowed the recognition of four homogeneous areas for the production of pears in southern Brazil. Index terms: agricultural zoning; Pyrus communis L.; Pyrus pyrifolia L.; reduction of climatic risks; adapted cultivars; climatic conditions. ZONEAMENTO AGROCLIMÁTICO DE PEREIRAS EUROPÉIAS E ASIÁTICAS COM POTENCIAL PARA PLANTIO COMERCIAL NA REGIÃO SUL DO BRASILRESUMO -A pera está entre as frutas de maior interesse comercial no mundo e é a fruta mais importada pelo Brasil. A produção brasileira é muito pequena, e a qualidade da fruta não tem padrão comercial adequado, em função da falta de adaptação das peras de qualidade às condições edafoclimáticas brasileiras. O sucesso da cultura no País, entre outros fatores, pode estar associado à escolha das cultivares comerciais, polinizadoras e porta-enxertos mais bem adaptados às condições edafoclimáticas locais, dependendo, portanto, das indicações de um zoneamento agrícola. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi identificar, na região Sul do Brasil, zonas climáticas homogêneas com potencial para plantios comerciais de pereiras europeias e asiáticas, por meio de estudos de riscos climáticos. As regiões foram delimitadas pela disponibilidade estacional de horas de frio (<7,2 oC) acumuladas no período entre maio e setembro, e pelo risco mensal de ocorrência de déficit hídrico. A análise permitiu o reconhecimento de quatro zonas homogêneas para produção comercial de peras na região Sul. Termos para indexação: zoneamento agrícola, Pyrus communis L., Pyrus pyrifolia L., redução dos riscos climáticos, adaptação de cultivares, condições climáticas.1 (Paper 223-15).

Effect of the application of prohexadione-calcium on the growth of ‘Packham’s Triumph’ and ‘Hosui’ pears (Pyrus communis L.)

“…The already established structure for apple orchards may be used to increase the overall yield and profitability of pear orchards. For this to happen, the search for techniques that help increase the yield and quality of pears is paramount, especially taking into account that the Brazilian pear production in 2019 was 16,720 t on a cultivated area of 1,156 ha, with an average yield of 14.5 t•ha -1 , below the world average, which, in 2019, was 17.3 t•ha -1 (Faoro & Orth, 2010;FAO, 2019;Wrege et al, 2017).…”

“…The control of the vegetative growth in pear trees is particularly important to mitigate low productivity, variations in the production, time until new trees start producing fruits, and to enhance fruit quality. Controlling the excessive budding helps for better illumination of the tree and to enhance the production of photoassimilates, reducing the costs, simplifying the management, and increasing the efficiency of the phytosanitary treatments (Rademacher et al, 2004;Wrege et al, 2017).…”

“…The competition between the vegetative and reproductive parts of the tree by excessive vigor may cause low fruit yields. This happens especially when this competition is enhanced by vigorous rootstocks, such as Pyrus calleryana and Pyrus betulaefolia, which are widely used in pear orchards (Rademacher et al, 2004;El-Hamied & El-Amary, 2015;Wrege et al, 2017).…”