DYNAMICS OF FRUIT GROWTH IN ‘CONFERENCE’ PEAR AS AFFECTED BY ROOT PRUNING, IRRIGATION AND CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

In 2002, daily fluctuations in trunk diameter and fruit diameter on ‘Conference’ pear trees were measured with linear voltage displacement transducers.
On an average sunny day in July, trunk diameter started to decrease around 10 a.m. when air temperature increased.
This continued until 8 p.m. when air temperature started to decline.
Fruit diameter growth of ‘Conference’ ceased as soon as trunk diameter started to decrease and resumed immediately after trunk diameter started to increase.
When fruit growth took place, the rate of diameter increase was fairly constant and was ~ 0.04 mm/h.
Root pruning without irrigation significantly affected tree growth but not fruit growth.
Fruit size increase was almost linear from early May up to harvest at the beginning of September and averaged 3.9 mm/week.
Relationships between fruit growth, climatic condition, soil water availability and cultural practices are discussed.

VIII International Symposium on Canopy, Rootstocks and Environmental Physiology in Orchard Systems

F.M. Maas

Pyrus communis, pear, trunk diameter, LVDT, root pruning, growth control

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2007.732.83