KAKI IN CELLOLE (CE): PRUNING THAT BUILDS PRODUCTION

We are in Cellole, in the “Pianeta Cipolletta” area of the Province of Caserta, at a persimmon orchard that today stands as a concrete benchmark for those aiming to achieve high, high-quality yields through a methodical approach. The experience has been monitored and documented by agronomist Vito Vitelli, who has guided its technical development over recent years.

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The orchard is trained to an open-vase “Mataix” system, with a spacing of 5.0 m between rows and 2.20 m within the row, for approximately 1,000 trees per hectare. In the most recent season, yields exceeded 60 t/ha (over 600 quintals/ha)—a result driven by precise agronomic choices, not by chance.

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Summer and winter pruning: a single integrated system

As explained by the farm owner, Rosario Cipolletta, effective winter pruning cannot exist without summer pruning, and vice versa. Summer cuts (18–22 cm) are used to form fruiting branches; winter pruning serves to select, renew, and stabilize the structure.

Without summer interventions, the tree bears fruit only at the tips: overloaded branches, weak wood, higher risk of breakage, and poorly distributed production.

The “gentle touch”: cleaning before pruning

The first winter operation is done by hand. Wearing gloves, weak, thin, internal, or poorly positioned branches are removed. Anything that does not withstand a “gentle touch” must be eliminated.

This step opens the canopy to light, reduces fruit scarring, removes unnecessary wood, and significantly speeds up the pruner’s work. It can also be carried out by non-specialized personnel.

Stability before aesthetics

In persimmon cultivation, a “beautiful” tree matters less than a stable and productive one.

A practical rule: if a branch yields easily under hand pressure, it should be renewed.

A heading cut is made back to 35–40 cm. The following year, the branch resprouts, produces young wood, becomes productive again, and is more resistant to crop load. Spurs may look unattractive, but they are true factories of future production.

Bare basal zone: problem and solution

In open-vase orchards with rows that are too narrow, production often concentrates in the upper canopy, leaving the base bare. The remedy is to select one main branch each year and bring it back with a renewal cut.

Prevention lies in orchard design: at least 5.0 m between rows and 2.0–2.2 m within the row. Reducing row spacing below these values inevitably creates structural problems over time.

An extraordinary tree

Persimmon has weak wood but is extremely long-lived. On the farm there is a tree over 70 years old which, after drastic reform pruning, returned to full production. This opens the door to very long production cycles and to orchards that are not uprooted, but renewed.

The future: wall-trained persimmon (single axis)

The next evolution is the wall-trained system:

5 m × 1.0–1.2 m spacing, about 2,000 trees/ha, a flat and well-lit canopy, no interior to clean, and pruning carried out externally and suitable for mechanization.

With 15–20 kg per tree, yields of 300–400 quintals/ha are achieved, with 70–80 fruits weighing 250–300 g each—yields comparable to traditional systems, but with lower labor requirements and greater regularity.

Prices and sustainability

The recent average price has been about €0.70/kg. Even assuming €0.40/kg, with 350–400 quintals/ha the gross marketable production (GMP) reaches €14,000–16,000 per hectare, maintaining economic sustainability.

Delayed harvesting represents an interesting leverage, preferably under cover (netting).

No rigid recipe

This system is the result of observation, mistakes, and continuous corrections. In the past, overly long summer cuts created excessive canopy volume—an error identified, corrected, and overcome.

Modern fruit growing is not built on manuals alone, but by observing the trees year after year.

Keywords:
#kaki #Diospyroskaki #modernfruitgrowing
#pruning #persimmonpruning #winterpruning #summerpruning
#fruitorchard #openvase #plantingspacing
#barebasalzone #light #lightinterception
#renewalcut #spurs #woodrenewal
#singleaxis #walltrainedpersimmon #highdensity
#GMP #economicsustainability #fruitquality
#AgronomistVitoVitelli

Official editorial note:
This content was developed with the support of Artificial Intelligence tools, used exclusively to improve the form, clarity, and organization of the text, based on technical information and guidance provided by Agronomist Vito Vitelli.

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