EFFECTS OF INTENSITY OF SUMMER PRUNING ON FRUIT-QUALITY AND PRODUCTION OF PEACH-TREES CV MARLI

Peach trees Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) cv. Marli were summer pruned, 30 days before harvesting in Porto Alegre, RS (30 degrees 0 1'S; 51 de grees 13'W), in 1990, by removal of 0; 25; 50 or 75% of current season shoots. Fruits from summer pruned trees with 50 or 75% of shoot remov al showed a higher percentage of coloured surface than those that had 25% or no shoot removal. There was also a higher percentage of removed leaves by the removal of 50 and 75% of current-season shoots. Fruit f irmness, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity and pH of frui t juice, as well as yield per trees were not affected by any of the tr eatments. There was a decreased in mean fruit weight from trees with 7 5% of shoot removal by summer pruning.