Cultivares de morangueiro submetidas a poda em cultivo em substrato

Abstract

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa D.) cultivation in protected and cultivation in substrate systems requires management practices that ensure adequate productivity and fruit quality, with pruning being a fundamental technique for vegetative renewal and physiological balance. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different pruning intensities and timings on vegetative, productive and physicochemical characteristics of the cultivars San Andreas® and Albion®, grown in a protected environment under a cultivation in substrate system in Pato Branco, Paraná, between 2023 and 2024. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, in a 2×5 factorial scheme with ten treatments and four replications. Production variables (total yield, fruit number, average fruit mass, diameter and length), vegetative variables (number of leaves, crown diameter, phyllochron and chlorophyll index) and fruit physicochemical attributes (color, firmness, pH, soluble solids and titratable acidity) were analyzed. The results showed significant interaction between cultivars and pruning strategies. San Andreas® exhibited greater vegetative vigor and higher productivity, especially under toilet or early pruning, while Albion® demonstrated greater sensitivity to leaf removal, performing best in the absence of pruning. Late pruning reduced yield for both cultivars, particularly affecting fruit mass and total number of fruits. It is concluded that pruning efficiency depends on the genotype and timing of intervention, with light or early pruning recommended for San Andreas® and no pruning for Albion® under cultivation in substrate cultivation systems.