Crossword Genius

Reduced growth of fruit at end of orchard (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

pruned

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'reduced growth' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to change as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'fruit at end of orchard' is the wordplay.
'fruit' becomes 'prune' (prune is a kind of fruit).
'at end of' says to take the final letters.
The last letter of 'orchard' is 'd'.
'prune'+'d'='PRUNED'

'of' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for pruned that I've seen before include "Cut away overgrown branches" , "Trimmed shrubs etc to promote growth" , "(Of a shrub) cut back" , "reduced to a minimum?" , "Cut back, cropped" .)

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