Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding 2025, Vol.15, No.4, 147-153 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/tgmb 151 7 Case Study: Field Experiment in a Commercial Loquat Orchard 7.1 Orchard background, cultivar selection, and experimental treatments The field trial of this case was conducted in a typical commercial loquat orchard, and the traditional high-yielding but small-fruit-bearing main varieties were selected. The experiment compared two methods, conventional pruning and double-cut pruning, and combined different nitrogen-potassium (N-K) fertilization ratios to evaluate the effects of autumn pruning and N-K ratio regulation on the yield and fruit quality in the second year (Su et al., 2024). 7.2 Comparative results on yield performance, fruit quality, and growth indices The results showed that the branches of loquat trees pruned by double cutting were thicker, the leaves were more, the flower bud differentiation and cell division were more active, the fruits were larger and the yield was higher (Figure 2) (Su et al., 2024). In terms of quality, moderate flower thinning (retaining 4 flowers per inflorescence) can increase the single fruit weight and sweetness, while leaving more flower buds (such as 12) is beneficial to increase the total yield (Nordi et al., 2025). Although this experiment did not directly study the N-K ratio, studies on other crops have found that increasing the ratio of potassium fertilizer can improve nitrogen metabolism, promote leaf growth, and increase yield (Ali et al., 2019). It is speculated that a similar effect will also occur on loquats. Figure 2 Effects of the common pruning and double-heading system (Adopted from Su et al., 2024) Image caption: (A-C) Common pruning procedure with one back-cutting in loquat. (A) Fruit-bearing shoot that was back-cut after the fruit ripened. (B) Shoot apex that developed into flower clusters in autumn. (C) Fruit that ripened during the next spring. (D-G) Vigorous shoot developed a pruning system with double back-cutting. (D) Fruit-bearing shoot that was cut back after harvest. The solid cycle shows where the first heading was performed. (E) Summer shoots that were back-cut again in late summer or autumn when the apex developed into a small panicle. The solid and dash cycles show where the first and second heading were performed. (F) Shoot apex with a double-heading that developed into a larger panicle the next autumn. (G) Larger fruit in one cluster produced by a double-heading in the spring of the third year (Adopted from Su et al., 2024) 7.3 Practical recommendations derived from field trial outcomes Based on these results, Su et al. (2024) suggested the use of double-cut pruning in loquat production to promote the robustness of branches and flower bud differentiation, and to increase fruit size and yield. During the flowering period, flowers can be moderately sparse, leaving 4 flowers per inflorescence to balance yield and quality (Nordi et al., 2025). In terms of fertilization, the proportion of potassium fertilizer can be appropriately increased to maintain the balance of nitrogen and potassium and optimize the growth and yield performance of plants (Ali et al., 2019). These measures are helpful for achieving the goal of high-yield and high-quality loquat production.
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