Chemicals being tested for bloom thinning of apples are effective for bloom thinning of stone fruit. Sulfcarbamide (Wilthin) and Endothall applied to peaches, nectarines, and apricots at 90% of bloom open reduced fruit set by 50%. Fruit size and quality of crop were improved. Slight phytotoxicity occurred on leaves and twigs, but no injury occurred on fruit. Two years of data will be presented and comparisons will be made with other new thinning agents.
Abstract
A single-value estimate of maturity response and an independent estimate of the thinning response to treatment can be determined from detailed harvest records. Thinning index is estimated from the total number of fruit per tree; maturity response is estimated from the weighted-average harvest date.
broken limbs due to the excess weight of fruit, and ensuring adequate return bloom to minimize biennial bearing ( Byers, 2003 ; Dennis, 2000 ). Thinning, or reducing the number of apples per tree and within each fruiting cluster, can also decrease
Abstract
A carbaryl spray thinned fruit of the apple (Malus svlvestris (L.) Mill.) cv. Red Rome but did not affect ethylene evolution of fruit or pedicel of ’Red Rome’, ‘Golden Delicious’ or ‘Staymared’. It did increase ethylene evolution of the leaves of the first 2 compared with ‘Staymared’ even though ‘Red Rome’ was the only cultivar thinned by the Sevin spray. Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) sprays which caused thinning also increased ethylene evolution of all 3 structures, commencing the second day after application. The increase was greater than that from dipping samples structures in the same solution. Covering branches with black shading cloth reduced ethylene evolution of mature to young apple leaves. Lack of good correlation between thinning, ethylene evolution of different structures, and methods of application make it desirable to develop a better method of screening potential apple thinning materials.
Abstract
‘Schley’ pecan [Carya illinoensis (Wang.) K. Koch] fruit were selectively thinned within one week after treatment with (2-chloroethyl)phosphonic acid (ethephon) without causing leaf abscission. A concentration range of 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, and 200 ppm caused progressive and selective fruit thinning ranging from 25 to 75%, depending upon concentration and fruit age. Fruit treated when at 4-mm diameter (June 15) were more heavily thinned at the same rate than fruit at 12-mm diameter (July 15). Leaf abscission occurred at rates of 300 ppm or greater on each treatment date. Ethephon levels had no effect on return bloom or fruit set.
Abstract
Adequate fruit thinning of ‘Loring’ peach [Prunus persia (L.) Batsch] was achieved with single applications of (2-chloroethyl)-methylbis (phenylmethoxy) silane (CGA 15281) at concentrations of 240, 360, and 480 ppm applied at seed length of 8.8 mm and 2 applications at 240 and 360 ppm applied 7 days apart at 8.8 and 10.8 mm seed lengths in 1978. Additional hand thinning following treatment was required. In 1979 adequate thinning was achieved with 1 application of 240 ppm applied at seed length of 13.9 mm or 480 ppm applied at an 8.5-mm seed length. Yields from these treatments were reduced but did not differ from the control treatment. Multiple applications and higher rates resulted in over-thinning and reduced yields. The sensitivity of fruit to thinning appeared to increase with increased seed length. In 1978, foliage injury occurred at all rates and the severity of injury increased at higher concentrations and multiple applications. However, no foliage injury was observed in 1979.
Abstract
Shading of nectarine [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] scaffold limbs 45-58 days after full bloom caused seed discoloration and fruit abscission. Shading of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] scaffold limbs from 31-41 days after full bloom caused greater fruit adscisson than shading from 11-21 or 21-31 days after bloom. The photosynthetic inhibitor, 3-tert-butyl-5-chloro-6-methyluracil (terbacil), applied to whole trees 35 days after full bloom induced fruit abscission. Terbacil at 500 ppm or higher caused excessive thinning. Fruit size was larger than hand thinned fruit, since overthinning occurred. Fruit color, soluble solids, and firmness of fruit from the 500 ppm treated trees were similar to fruit from hand thinned trees. No leaves abscissed, but marginal chlorosis occurred on less than 30% of the leaves at harvest. Flower bud numbers per cm of terminal length were similar to the hand thinned trees, but much greater than unthinned trees. Residue analysis of fruit at harvest from the 500 ppm terbacil treatment revealed 0.07 ppm in the fruit.
Abstract
There was an inverse linear relationship between fruit set of ‘Bicentennial’ and ‘Redhaven’ peach trees [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] and treatments of 0 − 4000 ppm of (2-chloroethyl)methylbis(phenylmethoxy) silane (CGA 15281) in 1980. Increases in fruit weight occurred at the highest rate of CGA 15281 when compared to lower rates with ‘Bicentennial’, but no significant increase was obtained with ‘Redhaven’. Terminal fruit were larger than basal and middle node position fruits in ‘Bicentennial’. In 1981, all applications of CGA 15281 (0 − 3000 ppm) to ‘Candor’ and ‘Jefferson’ thinned blossoms and resulted in an increase in fruit size, when compared to the hand-thinned control. Treatments of 2250, 2500, and 2750 ppm to ‘Candor’ resulted in adequate thinning and increased yields. Applications at 1500 and 1750 ppm resulted in overthinning and reduced yields in ‘Jefferson’.
; Wiedemann and Neinhuis, 1998 ). Cultural practices such as pruning, fruit thinning, and irrigation could promote the occurrence of cuticular cracks by acting on fruit growth, its water balance, and cuticle strain. Orchard management practices such as
Under California conditions `Granny Smith' apple does not “self-thin” sufficiently to promote good return bloom nor to provide fruit size desired for the fresh market. Preliminary studies conducted during 1985-87 indicated that 1-naphthyl N-methylcarbamate (carbaryl), 1-naphthaleneacetic Acid (NAA), and 1-naphthaleneacetamide (NAD) could be useful for thinning `Granny Smith'. Detailed studies conducted in 1988 and 89 using dilute handgun applications demonstrated that all 3 materials provided reasonable thinning as shown by fruit set counts. NAA and NAD tended to slow fruit growth as compared to carbaryl. Carbaryl tended to uniformly thin clusters while NAA and NAD were more likely to remove all the fruit from some clusters and few fruit from others, especially in 1988. Compared to the control, all materials applied in 1988 improved return bloom in 1989 with carbaryl having a slightly greater effect than NAA and NAD. As a result of these studies carbaryl at 1.7 to 2.2 kg (active ingredient) per ha as a dilute application is being suggested for grower trials in California.