Abstract
Airblast spray applications of ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) were made to individual peach trees in a single row or to small blocks 5 rows wide and 10 trees long to determine if drift from adjacent rows increased bloom thinning. Increased flower thinning was found in the center row of the 5-row-wide-block when compared by regression analysis to applications made to trees in a single row. Ethylene-bisdithio-carbamate (Zineb 78WP) was used to determine the amount of spray deposit contributed by airblast sprays to adjacent rows. Airblast spraying of peach trees in full bloom contributed chemical deposits to peach flowers in the adjacent row equal to 43% of that deposited on the sprayed row, and 26% to the second row removed.
The influence of bloom chemical thinner Wilthin on three apple cultivars (Royal Gala, Blushing Gold, and Ultra Gold) was investigated. Two experiments were conducted in 1995 and 1996 to determine the effect of Wilthin at 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% on fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight, yield, juice pH, acidity, SSC, sucrose, glucose, fructose, fruit firmness, and fruit set. Wilthin reduced fruit set of `Royal Gala', `Ultra Gold', and `Blushing Golden' and increased yield of all cultivars. In general, Wilthin increased fruit weight of `Royal Gala', `Ultra Gold', and `Blushing Golden' both years. Wilthin increased fruit length and diameter of `Royal Gala' and `Ultra Gold', but it did not affect fruit length of `Blushing Golden'. Wilthin increased fruit juice pH of `Royal Gala', `Ultra Gold', and `Blushing Golden' during both years. Wilthin decreased fruit juice acidity of `Royal Gala', `Ultra Gold', and `Blushing Golden'. In 1995, Wilthin increased SSC of `Royal Gala' and `Ultra Gold'. In 1996, Wilthin did not effect SSC of `Royal Gala' and `Blushing Golden', but increased SSC of `Ultra Gold'. Wilthin increased sucrose concentration of `Royal Gala', `Ultra Gold', and `Blushing Golden'. Wilthin did not effect fruit juice glucose concentration of `Royal Gala' but increased fruit juice glucose concentration of `Ultra Gold' and `Blushing Golden'. Wilthin did not influenced fructose content of `Royal Gala' and `Blushing Golden' apples. Wilthin increased fructose contents of `Ultra Gold'. Accel increased fruit firmness of `Royal Gala', `Ultra Gold', and `Blushing Golden' and increased fruit firmness of `Royal Gala'.
Blossom thinning can confer significant benefits to apple growers, including increased fruit size and annual bearing. However, current blossom thinning practices can damage spur leaves and/or fruit. We evaluated the use of short duration forced heated air treatments [thermal shock (TS)] as a blossom thinning strategy for ‘York Imperial’. Using a variable-temperature heat gun, TS treatments were applied to solitary blossoms 24 hours after pollination. Effects of output temperature (five levels) and treatment duration (four levels) were evaluated using a completely randomized design with a factorial treatment structure. Short duration treatments (0.5 and 1.0 seconds) were ineffective for arresting pollen tube growth in vivo. TS temperature required to inhibit stylar pollen tube growth was inconsistent across years. In 2014, TS temperatures ≥56 °C inhibited pollen tubes from reaching the style base at 2.0 and 4.0 second durations. However, in 2015, TS temperatures ≥81 °C at 4.0 seconds prevented pollen tubes from reaching the style base. Inconsistent effects of TS across years were attributed to treatments being applied too late due to optimal conditions for pollen tube growth during the intervening 24-hour period after pollination. Excessive injury to spur leaf tissue was observed at temperatures higher than 84 °C and 70 °C (2.0 and 4.0 seconds, respectively). Pollen tube growth was reduced or arrested at temperature and duration combinations that caused minimal visible injury to spur leaves. Identifying and exploiting structural differences between apple blossoms and vegetative spur leaves may provide insight for the future development of TS or other attempts at developing selective thinning technologies.
The use of short-duration applications of thermal energy (thermal shock; TS) as an apple blossom thinning strategy was investigated. Effects of TS temperature and timing on stigmatic receptivity, pollen tube growth in vivo, and visible leaf injury were evaluated in multiple experiments on ‘Crimson Gala’. TS treatments were applied to blossoms and spur leaves using a variable temperature heat gun. TS temperatures ≥86 °C had a strong inhibitory effect on pollen tube growth on the stigmatic surface and in the style. TS temperatures >79 °C reduced average pollen tube length to less than the average style length. Timing of TS treatment (0 or 24 hours after pollination) was not an influential factor, indicating that effective TS temperatures reduced pollen tube growth up to 24 hours after the pollination event. The onset of thermal injury to vegetative tissues occurred at similar TS temperatures that inhibited pollen tube growth in vivo. Excessive leaf injury (>33%) was observed at 95 °C, suggesting relatively narrow differences in thermal sensitivity between reproductive and vegetative tissues. Inconsistent TS temperatures and/or responses were observed in some experiments. Ambient air temperature may have influenced heat gun output temperatures and/or plant susceptibility. While results suggest some promise, additional work is required to validate and further develop this concept.
). Additionally, LS can be a very potent bloom thinner and may over thin the crop in some years. For these reasons, additional bloom thinning product options are needed for use in the eastern United States. In prior tests, the biofungicide, Regalia ® (Marrone Bio
This research was set up to determine the effectiveness of hydrogen cyanamide as a bloom thinner on peaches and apples. When applied at full bloom hydrogen cyanamide at 0.5 to 1% was effective at reducing fruit set on several varieties of peaches and apples in two different years. Yields were not effected when the lower rates were used. These results indicate that hydrogen cyanamide holds potential as a bloom thinner for both stone fruit and apples when used at the proper rates and timing.
Effects of various concentrations of Dormex (hydrogen cyanamide, a.i. = 49%), pelargonic acid and endothalic acid, applied at 60% and full-bloom, on fruit set and yield of `Early Spur Rome' apple and `Redhaven' peach were studied over 2 years. A full-bloom application of Dormex at 0.25% and 0.31% (% formulation) alone or 0.125% endothal followed by a post-bloom thinner reduced fruit set and increased fruit size in apple. A double application of endothal at a rate of 0.125%, once at 70% bloom and again at full-bloom, also was effective in thinning and increased fruit size in apple. Pelargonic acid was effective in thinning in apple when applied at a rate of 0.187% at 60% bloom and again at full-bloom. Return bloom in apple was better when blossom thinners effectively thinned blossoms. Dormex application at a rate of 0.31% at full-bloom showed the highest return bloom in apple. All three chemicals were effective in thinning in peach when they were applied before complete fertilization. However, only 0.31% Dormex application at full-bloom was effective in thinning peach when a high rate of fertilization had taken place.
Alternate bloom thinners are needed for apple are needed to replace compounds which can no longer be used or have production system limitations. The effects of 24 chemicals selected as osmotic agents, organic acids, oils, essential oils, or potential metabolic agents and their properties of pH, electrical potential (EP) and water potential were tested in vitro on `Gala' apple pollen germination, tube growth and pistil damage. Solution concentrations of 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 5%, and 10% were prepared and solution pH, EP, and water potential measured. To test affects on germination, pollen was placed on agar germination media in petri dishes and then treated with 10: l of chemical solution. Percentage pollen germination and tube growth was calculated 4, 12, and 24 h after treatment. Excised pistils from forced flowers were placed on glass filter papers saturated with chemical solution. Pistil damage was visually, subjectively rated for damage indicated by discoloration 24 h after treatment. Effects of solution pH, EP and water potential on pollen germination, tube growth and pistil damage was significant with pH less than ∂4.0 or greater than ∂10.0, EP > 200mv, or water potential less than ∼4.0MPa inhibited pollen germination, growth, and killed pistils. Several chemical had apparent metabolic effects beyond the chemical effects mentioned above. In vitro tests were correlated to in vivo field tests in other studies indicating the use of pollen and pistil in vitro as a useful model for screening potential alternative thinning agents.
Studies were conducted on peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] during 1988 to 1990 to test the performance of a tree-width rope-curtain bloom thinner and a rotating rope-curtain thinner. Six trips over the tree canopy were required with the tree-width rope curtain, and only one trip was required with the rotating curtain to thin to a spacing of about one flower per 9 cm of fruiting shoot length. Based on the number of flowers per square centimeter of branch cross-sectional area (CSA) immediately following thinning and the number of fruit per square centimeter of CSA following June drop, rope-curtain thinning was equal to hand-thinning at full bloom (FB). Rope-curtain thinning reduced hand-thinning time by 40% and increased harvest fruit weight by 10% to 20%. Research on various modifications in tree training/pruning indicated that performance of the mechanical thinner was negatively correlated with shoot density. Thinning was maximum on open-center-trained trees on which detailed pruning had been conducted to eliminate overlapping shoots.
Hand thinning fruit is required every season to ensure large fruit size of `Loadel' cling peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] in California. Chemical thinning may lower costs of hand thinning. A surfactant, Armothin {[N,N-bis 2-(omega-hydroxypolyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene) ethyl alkylamine]; AKZO-Nobel, Chicago; AR}, was sprayed at 80% of full bloom (FB), FB, and FB + 3 days. The spray volume was 935 liters/ha. Concentrations of AR were 1%, 3%, and 5% (v/v). An early hand thinning in late April, a normal hand thinning at 13 days before standard reference date (early May), and a nonthinned control were compared to bloom-thinned trees for set, yield, and fruit quality. AR resulted in no damage to fruit; however, slight leaf yellowing and burn and small shoot dieback were seen at the 5% concentration. Fruit set, and therefore, the number of fruit that had to be hand thinned, were reduced with 3% AR applied at 80% FB and 5% AR applied at all bloom phenophases (stages of bloom development). Thinning time was reduced by 37% (5% AR applied at 80% FB), 28% (5% applied at FB), and by 20% (3% applied at 80% of FB), compared to the normally hand-thinned control. Although AR resulted in early size (cross suture diameter and weight) advantages, at harvest there were no significant differences in fruit size among all AR treatments and the normally hand-thinned control. Total and salable yields of AR treatments and the normally hand-thinned control were equal. Armothin shows promise for chemical thinning of peach when used as a bloom thinner.