EFFETTO DELL‟INTENSITÀ E DELL‟EPOCA DI POTATURA SULL‟ATTIVITÀ VEGETO-PRODUTTIVA DELLA CV. ARBEQUINA ALLEVATA IN UN OLIVETO SUPERINTENSIVO.

[Autom. eng. transl.] One of the fundamental factors in the cultivation technique of the super-intensive olive groves (1200-1600 p / ha) is the maintenance of the plants within canopy volumes contained in such a way as to allow the harvesting with staggering machines. For this purpose, after reaching the maximum volumes allowed by the harvesting machines, pruning operations that reduce or control the vegetative growth but at the same time allow a high production efficiency are necessary. The intensity of pruning and its timing can therefore be important factors in achieving this goal. The purpose of this work was to verify in a super-intensive young plant (4 years) the effect on vegetative-productive behavior of the intensity of pruning and the period of execution. In 2010, in a super-intensive plant (cv. Arbequina) located in the province of Teramo, two types of pruning were performed: energetic (removal of 2/3 of the canopy) and light (removal of 1/3 of the foliage). These two theses were applied early (during the winter vegetative stasis) and late (full bloom). Light pruning was more effective than energetic pruning in terms of controlling vegetative development and productive efficiency when applied early and late. No significant differences were found attributable to the time of pruning, probably due to a delay in the beginning of the irrigation season which penalized the growth of the plants in the period immediately following the setting. In conclusion, in super-intensive olive groves where the volume of crown is not excessively developed and it is therefore advisable to carry out light pruning that allows on one hand to control the vegetative growth and on the other not to penalize the productivity of the plant.