Modeling fruit set in greenhouse sweet pepper

The yield of greenhouse sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is closely related to fruit set.
This phenomenon of cyclic yield fluctuations is known as flushing.
Flushing is associated with unstable fruit production and irregular labor distribution for growers.
Therefore, modeling fruit set is promising for improving profit, allowing growers to organize labor distribution and logistics.
This review paper aims to 1) identify factors and critical periods that affect fruit set based on published literature, and 2) present a model architecture for predicting fruit set in sweet pepper.
Both total dry matter production and fruit sink strength at days 1-7 after anthesis have critical roles in fixating fruit set in greenhouse environmental conditions, such as air temperature, relative air humidity, water supply, and electrical conductivity of nutrient solution maintained at optimal conditions for plant growth.
When the source-to-sink ratio (total dry matter production divided by fruit sink strength) at days 1-7 after anthesis increases, the fruit set ratio (fruits/flowers) also increases but tends to reach saturation.
In contrast, when plants are grown under severe environmental conditions, environmental factors become rate-limiting for fruit set.
In conclusion, modeling fruit set may be possible by considering source-sink relationships at days 1-7 after anthesis when plants grow in optimal environments.

IV Asian Horticultural Congress – AHC2023

M. Homma, D.H. Ahn, T. Higashide

anthesis, Capsicum annuum L., dry matter production, flower abscission, flushing, fruit sink strength

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1404.176