Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-g78kv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-28T03:11:23.856Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Response of several apple tree cultivars to chemical thinner sprays

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 November 2003

George Ouma  and
Frank Matta
George Ouma
Affiliation:
Department of horticulture, Maseno University, PO box 333, Maseno, Kenya
Frank Matta
Affiliation:
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
Get access

Abstract

Introduction. The chemical fruit thinning of apple trees carried out after flowering is a current practice used to improve fruit size and quality, to ensure the return of flowering and to reduce the biennial bearing. Our work studied the effectiveness of two particular chemical thinners (Accel and carbaryl) applied to three apple tree cultivars, and their effects on the fruit yield and quality. Materials and methods. Two identical experiments were undertaken on mature apple trees in 1995 and 1996. They made it possible to test spraying after flowering of Accel and carbaryl at three different concentrations and applied to the three `Empire', `Jan-A-Red' and `Braeburn' apple tree cultivars. The effect of the chemical substances was evaluated with parameters of fruit set, fruit quality and yield. Results and discussion. For the three apple tree cultivars studied, the spraying of Accel and carbaryl made it possible to reduce the fruit set and to improve the apple yield, pH and soluble solids concentrations. However, the treatments did not affect the fruit seed number, the fruit length and diameter, or the [fruit length / fruit diameter] ratio. Conclusion. With the concentrations used, Accel and carbaryl were effective for thinning the three apple tree cultivars tested. These chemical thinners increased yield and improved certain parameters of the apple quality.

Keywords

USAMalusvarietiescultivationthinningdefruitingchemical pruningfruitsyieldsÉtats-UnisMalusvariétépratique culturaleéclaircissagesuppression de fruitstaille chimiquefruitsrendement
Type
Research Article
Information
Fruits , Volume 58 , Issue 5 , September 2003 , pp. 275 - 281
Copyright
© CIRAD, EDP Sciences

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Looney, N.E., Chemical thinning of apples. Some new strategies and important refinements to old procedures, Acta Hortic. 179 (1986) 597-604. CrossRef
Williams M.W., Chemical thinning of apples, in: Janick J. (Ed.), Hortic. Rev., Avi publishing company, USA, 1979.
Fallahi, E., Lee, R.R., Lee, G.A., Commercial scale use of hydrogen cyanamide for apple and peach blossom thinning, HortTechnology 8 (4) (1998) 556-560.
Jones, K.M, Koen, T.B., Oakford, M.J., Bound, S., Thinning `Red Fuji' apples with ethephon or NAA, J. Hortic. Sci. 64 (5) (1989) 527-532. CrossRef
Cohen, R.A., Greene, D.W., GA4, GA7, and benzyladenine influence fruitset, fruit quality and return bloom of Golden Delicious apples, HortScience 23 (3) (1988) 788-789.
Greene, D.W., A review of the use of benzyladenine (BA) as a chemical thinner for apples, Acta Hortic. 329 (1993) 231-236. CrossRef
Bound, S.A., Jones, K.M., Koen, T.B., Oakford, M.J., The thinning effect of benzyladenine on `red Fuji' apple trees, J. Hortic. Sci. 66 (6) (1991) 789-794.
Stiles, W.C., `Empire' apple tree responses to fruit thinning chemicals, Hortscience 30 (40) (1995) 765.
Mahhou, A., Achachl, K., Éclaircissage chimique du pommier (Malus domestica L. Borkh) dans la région de Meknes au Maroc, Fruits 57 (2) (2002) 115-127. CrossRef
Forshey, C.G., Elfving, D.C., Fruit numbers, fruit size and yield relationships in `McIntosh' apples, J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 102 (4) (1977) 399-402.
Forshey, C.G., Elfving, D.C., Branch samples for yield and fruit size comparisons in apple, HortScience 14 (2) (1979) 143-144.
Lombard P.B., Callan N.W., Dennis F.G. Jr., Looney N.E., Martin G.C., Renquist A.R., Mielke E.A., Towards a standardized nomenclature, procedures, values, and units in determining fruit and nut tree yield performance, 23 (5) (1988) 813-817.
Anonymous, Statistical Analysis Guide, SAS Institute, Cory, NC, USA, 1988.
Williams, M.W., Comparison of NAA and carbaryl petal-fall sprays on fruit set of apples, HortTechnology 3 (4) (1993) 428-429.
Elfving, D.C., Cline, R.A., Benzyladenine and other chemicals for thinning `Empire' apple trees, J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 118 (5) (1993) 593-598.
Wismer, P.T., Proctor, J.T.A., Elfving, D.C., Benzyladenine affects cell division and cell size during apple fruit thinning, J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 120 (5) (1995) 802-807.
Hull, J. Jr., Bukovac, M.J. Bukovac, B.C., Black, B.L., Effect of concentration and time of Accel application on cropping of selected cultivars, HortScience 30 (4) (1995) 765.
Black, B.L., Bukovac, M.J., Stopar, M., Growth response of apple fruit to NAA and Accel, effect of intraspur competition and position on spur, HortScience 30 (4) (1993) 456.
Knight, J.N., Fruit thinning of the apple cultivar `Cox's Orange Pippin', J. Hortic. Sci. 55 (3) (1980) 267-273. CrossRef
Westwood M.N., Temperate-zone pomology: physiology and culture, Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, USA, 1993, pp. 259-269.
Davis, F., Flower position, growth regulators and fruitset of Rabbiteye Blueberries, J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 3 (1986) 338-341.
Kaps, M.L., Cahoon, G.A., Berry thinning and cluster thinning influence vegetative growth, yield, fruit composition and net photosynthesis of `Seyual Blanc' grapes, J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 114 (1) (1989) 20-24.
Valenzuela J.R.C., Regulating blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Read) crop, thesis, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, USA, 1992.
Blanco, A., Fruit thinning of peach trees Prunus persica (L.) Batch.: the effect of paclobutrazol on fruit drop and shoot growth, J. Hortic. Sci. 62 (2) (1987) 147-155. CrossRef
Gambrell, C.E. Jr., Custom, D.C., Sims, E.T. Jr., Results of eight years with CGA -15281 as a postbloom thinner for peaches, J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 108 (4) (1983) 605-608.
Nielsen, J.C., Dennis, F.G., Thinning `Delicious' apples, trials and tribulations, Hort-Science 28 (1993) 484.
Williams, M.W., Stahly, E.A., Effect of cytokinin and GA on the shape of `Delicious' apple fruits, J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 94 (1969) 17-19.