ISHS Acta Horticulturae 653: IX International Symposium on Plant Bioregulators in Fruit Production
AMINOETHOXYVINYLGLYCINE (AVG) APPLICATIONS TO COMMERCIAL BLOCKS OF 'TATURA 204', 'GOLDEN QUEEN' AND 'TAYLOR QUEEN' PEACHES DELAYS FRUIT MATURITY AND INCREASES FRUIT SIZE AND QUALITY |
| Authors: | A.C. Rath, J.M. Wargo, S. Mills |
| Keywords: | ethylene, harvest delay, flesh firmness, Prunus persica |
| Abstract:
Applications of ReTain® Plant Growth Regulator (15% AVG) were made by growers to commercial blocks of ‘Tatura 204’, ‘Golden Queen’ and ‘Taylor Queen’ canning peaches in the Goulburn Valley region of Australia. Each block was approximately 1 ha in size and was paired with an equivalent untreated block. ReTain was applied 7-14 days before the expected first pick on the untreated block using conventional airblast spray equipment at 830 g in 1,000-1,500 L of water/ha (83-125 ppm AVG). ReTain treatment resulted in a delay in skin colour development which delayed harvest by 3-6 days for all the peach varieties. This delay in harvest resulted in an average increase in fruit size and weight of 7.5%. Flesh firmness was 7-58% higher in ReTain-treated fruit even when the ReTain-treated fruit harvest was delayed until the fruit skin colour was the same as the untreated fruit. These commercial block experiments show that peach growers using ReTain may be able to better manage the harvest maturity of their crop and gain financial benefit through increased fruit size. | |
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