Evaluación de defoliantes químicos en el cultivo de manzana (Malus domestica Borkh.) cv. Anna en la granja El Romeral

Abstract

The apple tree (Malus domestica Borkh.) Cv. Anna, is a fruit tree of great importance in Ecuador. One of the problems faced by producers, is the lack of adaptation of this cultivar, presenting difficulties in defoliation, because, in natural conditions of the zone, it is uneven and incomplete, causing an irregular sprouting of buds, flowering and fruiting. The main objective was to evaluate the effect of chemical defoliants in the cultivation of apple trees cv. Anna The research was carried out at the El Romeral farm of the University of Cuenca. A randomized complete block design with 19 treatments and 3 repetitions was used, the evaluated variables were: percentage of fallen leaves, percentage of buds budded and percentage of fruits set. The plants treated with copper chelate (0.5%, 1% and 1.5%) showed the best results in defoliation (>95%), in the control was 3.58%, this during the first 15 days of evaluation. In the percentage of buds sprouted in the 30 days of evaluation, the plants treated with Dormex at 1% and 1.5% stood out among the treatments, with 18.33% and 16.33% respectively, in the control was of 5.67%. The plants with 1.5% and 1% Dormex excelled in the percentage of fruit set with 17% and 15.67% respectively, in the control it was 6.67%, in the 60 days of evaluation. The investigation indicated that the application of defoliants, accelerates the defoliation time, improves bud sprouting and fruit set