tailieunhanh - Effects of self-incompatibility control substance and blossom thinner on fruit set and quality of apple (Malus domestica)

Effects of calcium nitrate (CN) and sodium sulfate (SS) blossom thinning agents applied after selfincompatibility control substance (SICS) treatment on the fruit set rate and quality of apple were investigated for 2 cropping seasons. | Research Article Turk J Agric For 34 (2010) 207-212 © TÜBİTAK doi: Effects of self-incompatibility control substance and blossom thinner on fruit set and quality of apple (Malus domestica) Tae Kwon SON1, Jung Hee KIM2, Cyren RICO1, Sang Chul LEE3, Il Kyung CHUNG2,* 1R&D Center, ISTECH, Inc., 408 CU Techno Center, Catholic University of Daegu, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk, 712-702, KOREA 2Department of Biotechnology, Catholic University of Daegu, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk, 712-702, KOREA 3School of Applied Plant Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Gyeongbuk, 712-702, KOREA Received: Abstract: Effects of calcium nitrate (CN) and sodium sulfate (SS) blossom thinning agents applied after selfincompatibility control substance (SICS) treatment on the fruit set rate and quality of apple were investigated for 2 cropping seasons. CN and SS at and concentrations were applied once (3 or 4 days after SICS treatment) or twice (3 and 5 or 4 and 6 days after SICS treatment). Commercial Japanese flower thinning agent (FTA: Ekoruki) treated and untreated apple trees were used as treated and untreated controls. SICS was sprayed 7 days before full bloom. Both agents showed a fertilizing effect in ‘Hongno’, improving its fruit yield and quality. SS obtained and thinning rates in the central floret of ‘Fuji’. Both CN and SS were effective in ‘Gala’, which induced a lower fruit set than SICS treated plants. Earlier and double applications of CN and SS at concentration resulted in a higher thinning rate and improved fruit quality in ‘Gala’. Results also showed similar thinning efficacies in Ekoruki, CN, and SS. Key words: Blossom thinning, fruit set, self-incompatibility Introduction Self-incompatibility in apple coupled with unstable weather conditions and low insect activity or an inadequate number of pollinators can severely decrease the fruit yield of apple trees. Hand .