Differential responses of summer pruning timing on growth, quality and yield of low chill peach

Abstract Summer pruning is an important horticultural operation that is performed to manipulate tree response so as to make it better manageable without a reduction in yield and fruit quality. But the timing is also an important factor in performing this event. Keeping in view the above facts, the present investigation was carried out to elucidate the ‘differential response of summer pruning timing on cropping behavior in low-chill peach cvs. Florida Prince and Shan-i-Punjab’. The experiment was carried out at the experimental orchard of the Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri, Hamirpur (HP) during the years 2018–2019 and 2019–2020. There are six treatments in the experiment, each with four replications. T 1 : no pruning; T 2 : 25% summer pruning on July 10th + winter pruning (WP); T 3 : 25% summer pruning on July 20th +WP; T 4 : 25% summer pruning on July 30th +WP; T 5 : 25% summer pruning on August 10th +WP); and T 6 : standard winter pruning (SWP). According to the study’s findings, combining 25% summer pruning on July 10th with winter pruning resulted in the greatest improvement in terms of vegetative, flowering or blooming, and qualitative parameters, namely fruit weight, fruit shape index, total soluble solid, and sugar content. However, Florida Prince showed positive enhancement of various characteristics and performed better than Shan-i-Punjab.