Effect of Different Pruning Practices on Yield and Quality in Organic Winter Squash Cultivation

This study was carried out to determine the effects of different pruning practices on yield and quality of organically grown winter squash genotypes. In the study, four practices consisted of three pruning and control (1. Control, 2. Pruning of fruitless branches, 3. Single-branch growing and 4. Two-branchs growing) were investigated in 3 different winter squash (Cucurbita maxima Duch.) genotypes (61A1, 61A2 and 61A3). It was determined that genotypes and pruning practices had significant (P？0.05) effects on days to flowering and fruit set, fruit width and length, flesh color (L, chroma and hue), fruit flesh firmness, soluble solids content (SSC) and also yield per plant and 100 seed weight. The highest plant yield (24.9 kg plant-1) were obtained from the first pruning practice in 61A2 genotype. The highest fruit flesh firmness (4.5 kg) and SSC (5.9%) values were also obtained from the second pruning practice in 61A3 genotype. With the exception of fruit width and length, and L chrome, the effects of pruning practices on fruit color, fruit flesh firmness and SSC were not significant. It was determined that the pruning practice of fruitless branches increased plant yield when compared with the control