Articles
Effect of trunk girdling on fruit production, quality and storability in A. chinensis var. chinensis Zesy002 in Italy
Article number
1366_57
Pages
461 – 468
Language
English
Abstract
The effects of different trunk girdling practices on yield, fruit quality, and postharvest and shelf-life performance of A. chinensis var. chinensis Zesy002 (Zespri® Sungold) fruit were investigated in Italian conditions.
The possible effects of girdling on the long-term accumulation of carbohydrates in the root system were also evaluated, to verify whether the temporary interruption of phloem flow may cause chronic starvation of the root system and affect budbreak and canopy growth in the following seasons.
For this reason, the study was conducted for 3 growing seasons from 2018 till 2020 in two different orchards located in Cori (Latina Province, Italy). During preharvest, fruit produced from girdled plants showed an increase in the average size and dry matter compared to the control, with a positive trend at all harvesting dates.
The best results were generally obtained with the four incisions treatment (20+40+85+105 days after full bloom (DAFB)). The wound healing time ranged from 25 to 45 days and it was influenced by the environmental conditions and the number of incisions.
The effect of girdling strategy on postharvest performances varied according to the orchard and the harvest time (early, main or late pack). Late-harvested fruit had a generally higher firmness and soluble sugar content values than fruit harvested at main pack.
Trunk girdling increased the economic return, to a variable extent based on the orchard management and the harvest date from 7% (20+105 DAFB) to 44% (20+40+85 DAFB at late harvest). In this study, girdling application did not negatively affect the root sugar content in the long term.
Therefore, according to the results obtained, girdling could represent a sustainable practice to produce high-quality kiwifruits, with high dry matter content and increased fruit size and weight.
The possible effects of girdling on the long-term accumulation of carbohydrates in the root system were also evaluated, to verify whether the temporary interruption of phloem flow may cause chronic starvation of the root system and affect budbreak and canopy growth in the following seasons.
For this reason, the study was conducted for 3 growing seasons from 2018 till 2020 in two different orchards located in Cori (Latina Province, Italy). During preharvest, fruit produced from girdled plants showed an increase in the average size and dry matter compared to the control, with a positive trend at all harvesting dates.
The best results were generally obtained with the four incisions treatment (20+40+85+105 days after full bloom (DAFB)). The wound healing time ranged from 25 to 45 days and it was influenced by the environmental conditions and the number of incisions.
The effect of girdling strategy on postharvest performances varied according to the orchard and the harvest time (early, main or late pack). Late-harvested fruit had a generally higher firmness and soluble sugar content values than fruit harvested at main pack.
Trunk girdling increased the economic return, to a variable extent based on the orchard management and the harvest date from 7% (20+105 DAFB) to 44% (20+40+85 DAFB at late harvest). In this study, girdling application did not negatively affect the root sugar content in the long term.
Therefore, according to the results obtained, girdling could represent a sustainable practice to produce high-quality kiwifruits, with high dry matter content and increased fruit size and weight.
Authors
I. Donati, C. Onofrietti, N. Raule, A. Cellini, L. Manzoni, F. Spinelli, E. Xylogiannis
Keywords
late harvest, carbohydrate allocation
Groups involved
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Temperate Tree Fruits
- Division Temperate Tree Nuts
- Division Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nuts
- Division Horticulture for Development
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Commission Agroecology and Organic Farming Systems
Online Articles (58)