ISHS Acta Horticulturae 470: II International Symposium on Pistachios and Almonds
THE INFLUENCE OF BORON AND ZINC SPRAYS AT BLOOMTIME ON ALMOND FRUIT SET |
| Authors: | J. Castro, C. Sotomayor |
| Keywords: | Prunus dulcis, Batsch, Nutrition, Chile |
| Abstract:
During the 1994–95 and 1995–96 seasons, different almond cultivars located in three regions of Chile were sprayed with boron and zinc solutions when flower bud s were 10% open. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of foliar boron and zinc applications on fruit set and yield of almond trees in Chile. The cultivars treated were ‘Non Pareil’, ‘Price’, ‘Solano’, and ‘Carmel’. Boron was applied as boric acid (17% Boron) at concentrations of 170 and 340 ppm. Zinc was applied as a commercial product (Zn-50%) at 750 and 1500 ppm. Nine treatments comprised of different concentrations of boron and zinc were applied. Flowers and fruits were counted every two weeks from the time of spraying until harvest. The dry weight of the fruit and seed length were also measured. Results indicated that spring boron and zinc sprays at the beginning of the bloom period do not increase fruit set and have no effect on either fruit and seed weight or on seed length. The two natural periods of fruit drop at 15 and 40 days after full bloom were not influenced by these applications. | |
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