Articles
Effect of different auxin materials on growth and maturity of ‘French’ plum (Prunus domestica L.)
Article number
1450_6
Pages
44 – 52
Language
English
Abstract
For Chilean growers, achieving a higher fruit size of ‘French’ plum is crucial for exporting fresh fruit.
This challenge prompted the search for effective management practices to improve fruit size and yield that ensure profitability without compromising fruit quality.
Growth regulators were considered as a tool to improve fruit production.
A trial was conducted during the 2021-2022 season in Graneros, O’Higgins region, on 25-year-old ‘French’ plum trees to determine the effect of NAA, 2,4-DP, and 3,5,6-TPA sprays on the size and quality of the fruits.
Commercial products containing the auxins were applied at different concentrations and stages during phase I of fruit growth.
Subsequently, fruit growth and maturity in the field were monitored.
Concurrently, random fruit samples were evaluated in the laboratory for growth and maturity parameters until harvest.
Yield, crop load, and yield efficiency were evaluated at harvest.
Results revealed a significant effect of treatments for all fruit growth and maturity parameters.
All treatments improved fruit size compared to the control, but 3,5,6-TPA showed better performance in increasing fruit size of the fruit, resulting in greater yield efficiency after removing the effect of crop load.
Notably, NAA and 2,4-DP exhibited 94 and 90% of the fruit in the categories 27-29.9 and 33-35.9 mm, respectively.
However, 3,5,6-TPA despite showing more heterogeneity, obtained higher calibers, with 100% of the fruit in the categories over 27-29.9 mm, and 60.8% of them in the category 33-35,9 mm and larger than 39 mm. 3,5,6-TPA increased all growth parameters during phase III, resulting in fruits weighing almost 30% more than the control at harvest.
However, it exhibited a trade-off with a 15.5% reduction in flesh firmness (45.1 N) compared to the control and NAA treatment (53.38 N) at harvest.
This challenge prompted the search for effective management practices to improve fruit size and yield that ensure profitability without compromising fruit quality.
Growth regulators were considered as a tool to improve fruit production.
A trial was conducted during the 2021-2022 season in Graneros, O’Higgins region, on 25-year-old ‘French’ plum trees to determine the effect of NAA, 2,4-DP, and 3,5,6-TPA sprays on the size and quality of the fruits.
Commercial products containing the auxins were applied at different concentrations and stages during phase I of fruit growth.
Subsequently, fruit growth and maturity in the field were monitored.
Concurrently, random fruit samples were evaluated in the laboratory for growth and maturity parameters until harvest.
Yield, crop load, and yield efficiency were evaluated at harvest.
Results revealed a significant effect of treatments for all fruit growth and maturity parameters.
All treatments improved fruit size compared to the control, but 3,5,6-TPA showed better performance in increasing fruit size of the fruit, resulting in greater yield efficiency after removing the effect of crop load.
Notably, NAA and 2,4-DP exhibited 94 and 90% of the fruit in the categories 27-29.9 and 33-35.9 mm, respectively.
However, 3,5,6-TPA despite showing more heterogeneity, obtained higher calibers, with 100% of the fruit in the categories over 27-29.9 mm, and 60.8% of them in the category 33-35,9 mm and larger than 39 mm. 3,5,6-TPA increased all growth parameters during phase III, resulting in fruits weighing almost 30% more than the control at harvest.
However, it exhibited a trade-off with a 15.5% reduction in flesh firmness (45.1 N) compared to the control and NAA treatment (53.38 N) at harvest.
Publication
Authors
K. Mesa, C. Pinto, N. Romero, A. Albornoz, G. Reginato
Keywords
NAA, 2,4-DP, 3,5,6-TPA, size distribution, quality parameters, fruit size
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