Almond Orchard between Ruvo di Puglia and Altamura: Breaking the Vicious Cycle and Restoring Productive Balance

In the area between Ruvo di Puglia and Altamura, many almond orchards are not “old” in terms of age, but have prematurely aged due to agronomic mismanagement. The typical case involves orchards that have been subjected for years to repeated apical topping.

Example of light cone opening within the almond tree

The mechanism is well known: high cuts stimulate even more vigorous regrowth at the top, causing shading in the lower canopy and the progressive depletion of the first meters of trunk. The result is 4–5 meter-tall trees with production concentrated in the uppermost meter rich in fruiting spurs and a complete absence of productive branching in the median and basal zones.

The issue is not height per se, but the distribution of light and sap flow. Mechanical topping reinforces the defect by stimulating apical growth and intensifying basal shading. If the goal is to lower a branch, the technical principle is clear: intervene at the point of origin with a low renewal cut. A high cut strengthens apical dominance; a low cut encourages regrowth in the median and basal portions of the tree.

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Two Operational Strategies

1. Reform Pruning (Structural “Strong” Approach)

A reset is carried out at approximately 90 cm above ground level, using a 45° angled cut to promote water runoff. This is preceded by selective branch removal, cleaning, and wound protection. Following vegetative regrowth, the structure is re-established according to a modern training system (e.g., Zaragoza-type framework).

This is a decisive intervention: it entails a 1–2 year reduction in yield, but eliminates the structural defect at its root.

2. Gradual Management (Soft Approach)

When the reset strategy is introduced progressively, intervention focuses on the existing structure to reverse the trend without causing excessive stress:

• Cleaning of the “palm area” (inner canopy zone).
• Creation of an internal light cone by spur-pruning branches that obstruct light penetration.
• Canopy reshaping through manual return cuts; residual spurs serve as renewal points.
• Containment of vegetative wall thickness within approximately 1.20 meters.
• No indiscriminate height reduction: mechanical harvesting with a trunk shaker does not require drastic lowering of the canopy.

This approach redirects sap flow to the median zone, encourages productive wood renewal, and interrupts the negative loop that drives the canopy ever higher. Flexible branches, under fruit load, naturally bend, improving light interception and vegetative–productive balance. The result is progressive regeneration and more harmonious branching.

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Farm-Level Considerations

Where water availability and spacing allow, in-row densification may be considered. Reform pruning can be scheduled by blocks (rows or sections of the plot), thereby distributing the economic impact over time, while soft management is applied to the remaining orchard.

The technical objective is not to reduce tree height, but to rebalance light distribution, sap flow, and structural architecture. Breaking the vicious cycle means restoring productivity to the median zone and stabilizing orchard efficiency over the long term.

Official Editorial Note:
Original content by Agronomist Vito Vitelli, developed and optimized with the support of artificial intelligence tools for educational, informational, and technical dissemination purposes.

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