Articles
Relationships of early season leaf metabolites to apple crop load and fruit quality at harvest
Article number
1395_44
Pages
337 – 342
Language
English
Abstract
Higher crop loads in apple trees are known to reduce fruit size and quality due to reduced availability of the photosynthates needed for fruit growth.
This study examined the relationship between leaf metabolites measured at 60 days after full bloom with crop load and fruit quality at harvest using partial least squares discriminant analysis, with the prospect of being able to identify over-cropped trees early in the growing season to inform decisions on crop load adjustment.
The most important leaf metabolites that were found to be related to crop load and fruit quality at harvest were described and listed according to their variable of importance in projection (VIP) scores.
Results showed that the models produced could distinguish between trees with high and low crop load, or trees which produced high- or low-quality fruit (fruit mass, dry matter concentration, IAD and h°) at harvest.
However, it was not possible to use early leaf metabolites to accurately discriminate between trees with a high crop load from those with a more moderate crop load and as such, models would require further development before use in a commercial setting.
This study examined the relationship between leaf metabolites measured at 60 days after full bloom with crop load and fruit quality at harvest using partial least squares discriminant analysis, with the prospect of being able to identify over-cropped trees early in the growing season to inform decisions on crop load adjustment.
The most important leaf metabolites that were found to be related to crop load and fruit quality at harvest were described and listed according to their variable of importance in projection (VIP) scores.
Results showed that the models produced could distinguish between trees with high and low crop load, or trees which produced high- or low-quality fruit (fruit mass, dry matter concentration, IAD and h°) at harvest.
However, it was not possible to use early leaf metabolites to accurately discriminate between trees with a high crop load from those with a more moderate crop load and as such, models would require further development before use in a commercial setting.
Authors
T. Plozza, P. Reddy, A. Scalisi, V. Ezernieks, S. Rochfort, I. Goodwin
Keywords
colour, dry matter, fruit weight, index of absorbance difference, soluble solids
Groups involved
- Division Temperate Tree Nuts
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Temperate Tree Fruits
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nuts
- Working Group Precision Management of Orchards and Vineyards
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