Advances in Canopy Management for Enhancing Productivity and Sustainability in Perennial Fruit Crops: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Canopy management plays a critical role in optimising light interception, photosynthesis, and productivity in perennial fruit crops. Proper regulation of canopy architecture improves microclimate, fruit quality, and orchard efficiency while reducing labour and input costs. This review summarises advances in the physiological and horticultural bases of canopy management, emphasising the interaction between intrinsic and extrinsic tree factors, pruning and training systems, and chemical growth regulation. Mechanistic insights into light interception, carbohydrate–nitrogen balance, hormonal control of apical dominance, and their effects on flowering, fruit set, and quality are discussed. Canopy manipulation through pruning, training, girdling, and bending remains the cornerstone of canopy management in fruit crops. These practices optimise canopy architecture, enhance light interception, and balance vegetative and reproductive growth, thereby improving yield and fruit quality. Chemical manipulation of canopy architecture, particularly through paclobutrazol (PBZ) and related growth regulators, is a powerful tool for enhancing fruit quality traits (size, colour, sweetness) and improving harvest uniformity in tropical and subtropical fruit crops. Moreover, integration of physiological insights with orchard design—including row orientation, plant spacing, and canopy shaping—further enhances light interception, improves aeration, and optimises microclimatic conditions within the canopy. Integrating canopy management with precision horticulture, growth regulators, and sustainable orchard design offers a pathway toward higher yields, resource-use efficiency, and long-term orchard sustainability.