Crescimento, fenologia, produção e qualidade de frutos de pessegueiros obtidos por três sistemas de produção de mudas

Abstract

The peach tree is one of the main temperate fruit crops cultivated in Brazil, with significant socioeconomic importance. Propagation of the species is traditionally carried out by sowing rootstock stones directly in the soil, followed by bud grafting. However, the conventional nursery production system presents limitations related to plant health and root system development, which may compromise the initial performance of trees after orchard establishment. Although several studies have evaluated soilless nursery production systems, investigations that monitor the growth, yield and fruit quality of peach trees originating from these systems after planting are still scarce, especially under the climatic conditions of southern Brazil. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate, in an integrated manner, the phenology, vegetative growth, yield and fruit quality of the peach cultivars ‘BRS Fascínio’, ‘Chimarrita’ and ‘Maciel’, using plants produced under three nursery production systems: conventional, semi-hydroponic and plastic container, over the first four years after orchard establishment. The study was structured into three experiments: the first evaluated the phenological behavior of the cultivars; the second analyzed vegetative growth attributes and yield components; and the third determined the physical, chemical and skin color attributes of the fruits. Phenological results showed differences only among cultivars, indicating that the nursery production system does not interfere with the phenological development of the trees. Regarding vegetative growth, initial differences associated with nursery plant morphological characteristics were observed, which were attenuated over the years following planting. Concerning yield performance, in the first year of significant production, trees originating from the semi-hydroponic system exhibited higher yield per tree, yield and mean fruit mass, indicating a positive effect of this system on early orchard productivity. Fruit quality was predominantly influenced by the genetic characteristics of the cultivars, with higher firmness, soluble solids content and skin color differences associated with flesh type, while no consistent differences were observed among nursery production systems. Thus, these integrated results contribute to a better understanding of the effects of nursery production systems on early orchard establishment and provide technical support for the modernization of the peach production chain in Brazil.