Pruning is a common practice in citrus for various reasons. These include controlling and shaping the canopy; improving phytosanitary health, productivity, and fruit quality; and facilitating operations such as harvesting and phytosanitary treatments. Because pruning is an expensive operation, its need is sometimes questioned. However, it has been proven to be particularly important in Mediterranean citriculture, which is oriented towards producing fruits for a high-quality demanding fresh market. Herein, we summarize and explain the pruning techniques used in Mediterranean citriculture and refer to the main purposes of each pruning type, considering citrus morphology and physiology.
Keywords: alternate bearing; canopy management; formative pruning; maintenance pruning; mandarin; mechanical pruning; training system.