ISHS Acta Horticulturae 394: Plant Bioregulators in Horticulture
COMMERCIAL CHEMICAL THINNING OF STONE FRUIT IN CALIFORNIA BY GIBBERELLINS TO REDUCE FLOWERING |
| Authors: | S. M. Southwick, R. Jr. |
| Keywords: | Prunus armeniaca, Prunus persica, Prunus salicina, Prunus domestica, Fruit thinning, Fruit firmness, Gibberellins, Chemical thinning, Plant growth regulation, Plant growth regulators |
| Abstract:
Pre-and postharvest sprays of a gibberellin-containing compound, Release®LC, were applied on five apricot (Prunus armeniaca), two nectarine (Prunus persica var. nectarina), five peach (Prunus persica) and two plum (Prunus salicina) varieties on various orchards throughout California, U.S.A. in 1993. Release®LC treatment often increased the firmness of apricot, peach, nectarine and plum fruits without a consistent reduction in fruit soluble solids. Soluble solids were increased in preharvest treatment of plums. As a result of 1993 Release®LC treatments, flowering in the following 1994 season was reduced in virtually all apricot, peach, and plum trials, and in many nectarine treatments. Decreased flower number led to reduced thinning times in 'Black Amber' and 'Friar' plum trees and fewer fruits thinned per tree in those same plum varieties and 'Patterson' apricot. At harvest, yield (weight)/tree in 'Patterson' apricot was not reduced by Release®LC treatment when compared to hand thinning, but individual fruit weight was increased by Release®LC sprays of 70.2 to 93.5 g/ha applied approximately 18 days prior to harvest. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
