THE EFFECT OF FRUIT AND INFLORESCENCE PRUNING ON FRUIT SIZE AND YIELD OF DWARF GOLDEN APPLE (SPONDJAS CYTHEREA SONN.)

An experiment was conducted from Sep 1998 to Dec 1999 to determine the effects of 8 combinations of fruit and inflorescence pruning on fruit size and yield of dwarf golden apple (Spondias cytherea Sonn) grown in Belvidere, Grenada, W. I. Pruning treatments were 1: 0% fruit + 50% inflorescence 2: 25% fruit + 50% inflorescence 3: 50% fruit + 50% inflorescence 4: 75% fruit + 50% 5: 0% fruit + 0% inflorescence 6: 25% fruit + 0% inflorescence 7: 50% fruit + 0% inflorescence 8: 75% fruit + 0% inflorescence. Fruit pruning increased fruit size. At 75% it was highly significantly different (P=0.000) from the 25% and 0% levels but was not significantly different from pruning at 50%. Inflorescence pruning reduced fruit size. The interaction between fruit pruning and inflorescence pruning tended to reduce fruit size. Fruit and inflorescence pruning reduced fruit yield in terms of weight and number. Fruit pruning at 0% and 25% had a highly significant difference (P=0.000) from 75% on total number of fruits. Pruning treatmeats of 0%, 25%, and 50% had a highly significant difference (P=0.001) from 75% on total weight of fruits