Search Results
Experiments were carried out in the southeastern United States between 1998 and 2006 to evaluate the potential for applications of NAA, Ethrel, or both, in the on-year of a biennial bearing cycle to increase return bloom in apple. Four bi-weekly applications of 5 ppm NAA beginning in mid June (summer NAA) increased return bloom, measured as the percentage of floral spurs in the year after treatment. The level of return bloom on trees receiving a summer NAA program was more than 2-fold higher than on untreated control trees, averaged across seven different experiments. Four applications of 5 ppm NAA at weekly intervals leading up to harvest (August/September) increased return bloom also. Combining 150 ppm Ethrel with summer NAA sprays resulted in an additive effect on return bloom compared to NAA or Ethrel alone. The effect of flower cluster density on return bloom the following year was more negative on control trees than it was on trees sprayed with Ethrel in the previous year. Treatment effects on fruit maturity at harvest were generally neutral, although flesh firmness was reduced in some experiments. NAA or Ethrel sprays in the on-year of a biennial bearing cycle may provide a strategy for achieving more consistent flowering and cropping in apple.
Experiments were conducted in commercial apple (Malus ×domestica) orchards in the southeastern U.S. between 1998 and 2006 with the primary objective of evaluating the effects of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and ethephon on return bloom. NAA increased return bloom in six of 10 experiments, whereas ethephon increased return bloom in four of seven experiments. Four biweekly applications of 5 ppm NAA during June and July (early summer NAA) increased return bloom more consistently than fewer applications. Four weekly preharvest applications of 5 ppm NAA increased return bloom of ‘Delicious’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ as effectively as early summer applications. Combining NAA and ethephon in early summer sprays did not consistently increase return bloom compared with either material alone. The flower cluster density of ‘Golden Delicious’ in the year of treatment had a negative effect on return bloom that was more pronounced on control trees than trees sprayed 5 weeks after bloom with 444 ppm ethephon (48 fl oz/acre Ethrel). Combining four early summer sprays of 316 ppm ethephon (24 fl oz/acre Ethrel) with 15 ppm gibberellin A4 + A7 (GA4+7) increased return bloom of ‘Cameo’ but had no effect on return bloom of ‘Mutsu’ or ‘Golden Delicious’. Growth regulator treatments did not have a consistent effect on fruit firmness in the year of treatment. Naphthaleneacetic acid or ethephon treatments in the on year of a biennial bearing cycle can promote return bloom of apple spurs. However, the positive effect on return bloom may be minimal in cultivars with a strong natural tendency toward biennial bearing or when bloom or initial fruit set are heavy in the year of treatment.