EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL THINNING WITH ARMOTHIN® ON FRUIT SET, YIELD AND QUALITY OF JAPANESE PLUM (Prunus salicina Lindl.) CV. ‘FORTUNE’

Eduardo von Bennewitz

Institute of Plant Production and Protection, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile

Andrés Cabalín

Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry, Universidad Católica del Maule, Camino a los Niches km 5.5. 3340000 Curico, Chile

Tomáš Lošák

Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic


Abstract

The effects of the application of the chemical thinner Armothin® on fruit set, yield and quality of Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) cv. ‘Fortune’ were studied during two seasons in Central Chile (34.56°S, 71.5°W). Trees were sprayed with Armothin® at 0.5%, 1% and 2% concentrations. All thinning treatments reduced the fruit set and fruitlet number (fruitlets/50 cm of branch). Armothin® at 2% conc. was the most aggressive treatment, drastically reducing the fruit set from 85.9% and 82.9% of the control and crop load to unprofitable levels during both seasons. Chemical thinning treatments at the two lowest concentrations (0.5 and 1%) did not significantly alter the crop load compared with the unsprayed control during both study seasons. Thinning costs were reduced (Armothin® 0.5%, 25.0% and 21.5% of the control treatment and Armothin® 1%, 24.6% and 24.1% of the control, during the first and second season, respectively). In general, chemical thinning increased the fruit size and total soluble solids content (TSS). Taking into account the ef- fects on thinning, crop load, fruit quality and thinning costs, Armothin® 1% and Armothin® 0.5% are the most advantageous treatments in the case of this study.

Keywords:

thinning agents, crop load regulation, plum, fruit quality, yield, bearing potential

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Published
2019-06-18



Eduardo von Bennewitz 
Institute of Plant Production and Protection, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
Andrés Cabalín 
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry, Universidad Católica del Maule, Camino a los Niches km 5.5. 3340000 Curico, Chile
Tomáš Lošák 
Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic



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