Blackberry and redberry production in crop and intercrop in Pouso Alegre, southern Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The cultivation of mulberry ( Rubus sp.) is highly disseminated in cold climates, but some cultivars adapt to warm weather environments. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the production of blackberry and redberry in season and off season in Pouso Alegre, south of Minas Gerais. The experimental design was a randomized block, with twelve cultivars ('Arapaho', 'Xavante', 'Brazos', 'Tupy' 'Comanche', 'Choctaw', 'Guarani', 'Caingangue', 'Cherokee', 'Chicasaw' and 'Clone' and a redberry, three blocks and an experimental unit of four plants with a spacing of 0.5x3.0m and a total density of 6,666 plants per hectare. Conventional pruning was performed to produce the crop (October-December) and for off-season production (April-July). In 'Brazos' there was increased production in the two seasons evaluated against other mulberry trees, conversely, in the off season, there was a positive effect of pruning carried out in January only in 'Tupy', 'Choctaw', 'Comanche' and 'Clone', with 'Tupy' presenting the highest productivity off season. In 'Brazos' and 'Tupy' there was the best balance between soluble solids and acidity in the crop and red berry in season. 'Brazos' and 'Cherokee' had the highest average content of total sugars. Due to the lack of supply of fruit, pruning mulberry trees in January is an alternative to increase the income of family-based farms.