Influence of cultivar and pruning management on the phenological aspects of blackberry

Abstract

Among other factors, climate and management may also affect the development and behavior of blackberry, providing different results on cultivars. Therefore the objective of this work was to evaluate the phenological performance of blackberry cultivars and plants conducted with different numbers of primocane. Two experiments were carried out, the first one consisted of the evaluation of four blackberry cultivars: BRS Tupy, Cherokee, BRS Xavante and Guarani, for the second experiment, with the cultivar BRS Tupy, different numbers of primocane were evaluated: drastic pruning of winter, two, three and four primary primocane also conducted in the traditional system. The phenological aspects evaluated in the two experiments were: beginning, end and duration of flowering and harvest. Considering the results obtained, a great difference can be observed between the productive cycles in relation to the period of flowering and harvest, being more extensive in the first cycle. The phenological aspects of the tested cultivars are affected by the climatic factors observed during the evaluations, thus presenting variations between the two years. During the first cycle, only plants subjected to drastic pruning did not reach the same production period as plants submitted to other treatments. Among the tested cultivars 'BRS Tupy' and 'Cherokee' they maintained the highest harvesting periods, even though they presented a great variation between the cycles. Young plants of the cultivar BRS Tupy present a restricted harvest period.

Pruning intensity on blackberry phenology and production

“…It is important to note that for all treatments, the SS values obtained were above that reported by Lugaresi et al (2020) and Guedes et al (2013) who found values around 8 °Brix, for cv. Xavante, thus conferring a sweeter taste to the fruits obtained in this work, due to the low overall production.…”

“…The blackberry 'Xavante' is very productive, its stems are vigorous and erect, and it does not require much cold to exit dormancy, about 200 to 300 hours of cold (Brugnara, 2016). Flowering starts in September and may extend until January in the southern hemisphere, and its maturation occurs early, starting the harvest in mid-November and extending until mid-March, depending on the climatic conditions of the year (Lugaresi et al, 2020).…”