EFFECT OF PRUNING ON JATROPHA CURCAS L. SEEDLINGS DURING THE NURSERY STAGE

Abstract

Objective. The aim was to assess the effect of pruning on Jatropha curcas L. seedlings during the nursery stage.

Design/Methodology/Approach. In order to determine the effect of pruning on Jatropha curcas L. seedlings under nursery stage, a study was carried out at the nursery of the CPA “Abel Santamaría” of the Martí municipality, Cuba. A complete randomized design was used. Three treatments (T) were tested: 1) control (without pruning), 2) pruning at 30 cm from the soil and defoliation of seedlings, 3) pruning at 30 cm from the soil and without defoliation of seedlings. Descriptive analysis was performed to determine survival, regrowth and quantity of plants with primary branches. For the number of leaves and branches, height and diameter, a simple variance analysis was used, with partitions for each observation.

Results. It was found that no treatment influenced the plant survival and regrowth. With T2 and T3 up to 2 branches per plant obtained. The height was higher with T1 (38,63 cm) and differed from T2 and T3. The highest quantity of branches that formed primary branches was obtained by pruning and without defoliating (28 vs. 22 and 0, for T2 and T1, respectively).

Study Limitations/Implications. Pruning is an option to increase agronomic yield in Jatropha, but it has not been studied at nursery conditions.

Findings/Conclusions. It is concluded that pruning J. curcas seedlings in nursery at 30 cm of height with regards to the soil, with defoliation or without defoliation; neither affects crop survival or regrowth and the development of primary branches. However, it is possible to obtain more plants with primary branches and higher stem diameter by performing pruning without defoliation.