Key Technical Points for Summer Training and Pruning Management of Pear Trees

The training and pruning of pear trees is an important measure in cultivation management, and also a very meticulous task. Training is based on the pear tree's growth and fruiting habits, growth and development patterns, site conditions, and other cultivation management characteristics. Pruning, on the basis of training, continues to cultivate and maintain a high-yielding tree structure and regulates the balance between growth and fruiting, so as to maintain consistent high quality and high yield in pear trees year after year. Training and pruning must be coordinated with integrated management of soil, fertilizer and water, as well as integrated pest and disease control, in order to fully exert their yield-increasing effect.

Training and pruning are indispensable technical measures in pear tree cultivation management, and cannot be replaced by other technical measures, but they are by no means a cure-all nor the only method, and must be treated correctly and applied meticulously. If the role of pruning is one-sidedly emphasized while other technical measures are neglected, or if pruning is set in opposition to other technical measures; if tree shape is over-emphasized, pruning for the sake of pruning; or if pruning practices are not taken seriously, none of these can fully exert the role of training and pruning to achieve early fruiting, high quality, high yield and high efficiency. On the contrary, they will lead to undesirable consequences such as delayed fruiting of young trees, low yield, poor quality and short economic life of mature trees.

Branch bending: This is very important for pear trees with relatively upright growth habits. Generally around July, branches are pulled, propped or hung to increase the branching angle, adjusting it to the angle required for the desired tree shape. Branch bending of main and lateral branches must be done in a timely manner; do not delay and miss the season, otherwise the future workload of adjusting the tree shape will be too great, and the tree shape cannot be standardized.

⑹ Ring girdling (barking): Generally carried out on main branches, lateral branches and water sprouts. For ring girdling, a spiral girdle of 2-3 turns is appropriate. When ring-barking, the width of the bark removed must be strictly controlled, while not damaging the xylem; the width should be kept within 1/10 of the branch diameter, and at most not exceeding 1.0 cm. It is carried out from May to July; if too late, it is not conducive to wound healing. After bark removal, plastic film can be used to wrap the wound to promote healing.

In the process of pruning pear trees, no matter which pruning method is adopted, its comprehensive response must be taken into account in order to achieve the desired goal. Before pruning a pear tree, first observe the tree's age stage, vigor, and flower quantity, etc., in order to decide which pruning method should be adopted. Under normal circumstances, for young trees and vigorous trees as well as trees with few flower buds, the pruning intensity should be lighter, while for mature trees and weak trees, especially mature weak trees with many flowers, the pruning intensity should be appropriately heavier.

Pear scab, pear black spot, pear ring rot, pear lace bug, pear leaf blister mite and psyllids are the main pests and diseases causing early defoliation. In addition, one-time harvesting is also one of the causes of early defoliation. Premature defoliation is the main reason for secondary flowering in pear trees. To prevent secondary flowering, attention should be paid to harvesting fruits in batches; timely fertilizer supplementation after harvest; strengthening pest and disease control; and strengthening irrigation during the dry season and mulching the tree basin.