Important warning for producers in Malatya, where there are 9 million apricot trees.

In Malatya, where 85% of the world’s dried apricot production takes place, Professor Dr. Hakan Yıldırım, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Malatya Turgut Özal University (MTÜ), emphasized the importance of pruning after the trees shed their leaves during significant warnings to producers.

Professor Dr. Hakan Yıldırım stated that the method of pruning trees comes from a very old historical process, noting that pruning methods, which were previously carried out through trial and error, gained more importance after fruit growing was understood as a profitable agricultural branch.

Yıldırım expressed that pruning is a cultural activity in fruit trees, similar to irrigation, fertilization, and soil processing, and he conveyed that pruning is needed to achieve the desired effect in irrigation and fertilization. He also pointed out that pruning is crucial for both the development of shoots and branches and for achieving fruit quality.

Yıldırım indicated that if pruning is not performed, trees will show signs of drying out, and he expressed that pruning is not just about cutting.

“Physiological balance is important”

Yıldırım noted that incorrectly performed pruning directly affects crop yield, saying, “Faulty practices in trees cause the physiological balance in the trees to deteriorate. Our goal in pruning is to ensure shoot development and fruit yield. When we fail to achieve these two, an imbalance will occur in the tree. About 30 years ago, there were apricot trees that were 60-70 years old, and now we cannot find trees over 25-30 years old. The physiological balance in the trees has been disrupted in terms of fruit, and due to the disruption of pruning and other cultural practices, the tree continuously produces fruit, completing its productive life of 50-60 years in 25-30 years and then withering away,” he said.

“Every producer should use their own equipment”

Sharing information about the points to be considered in pruning, Yıldırım stated that the scissors and saw used in the work should be specific to the producer, saying, “Using scissors and saws from different orchards during pruning can lead to the transmission of diseases and pests. Another important point is that pruning waste must be removed from the orchard. Additionally, the timing of pruning is crucial; one of the most significant mistakes made by our farmers in the region is not adjusting the pruning time correctly. After the fruit is harvested in our city, farmers start to panic about pruning. Normally, pruning should begin after the tree sheds its leaves, and the pruning should be completed during the spring until the buds swell.”