(463) Grapefruit Crop Load Affects Net Gas Exchange of Leaves, Tree Growth, and Fruit Quality

Effects of crop load on leaf characteristics, shoot growth, fruit shape, fruit quality, and return bloom were investigated in 13-year-old `Ruby Red' grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.) on `Swingle' citrumleo rootstock. Trees were hand thinned in June 2003 and 2004 at the end of physiological fruit drop to establish three to four levels of crop load ranging from normal (high crop load without thinning) to extremely low (near 90% fruit removal). Leaves on high crop load trees had higher net assimilation of CO2 (ACO2) than those on low crop load trees. Crop load enhancement of ACO2 continued until harvest. In 2004, however, the effects were diminished in October just prior to the beginning of the harvest season, after leaf and fruit loss from three consecutive hurricanes. There was no difference in leaf dry weight per leaf area and leaf nitrogen among treatments. Nonfruiting branches of high crop load trees produced fewer, but longer, summer flushes than those of low crop load trees. Fruiting branches generally produced few summer flushes with similar shoot lengths among treatments. High crop load trees developed a greater percentage of vegetative shoots, whereas low crop load trees developed more inflorescences. Crop load adjustments did not affect fruit size and total soluble solid content, but low crop load trees produced a higher percentage of irregular shape (sheepnosed) fruit with high acidity.

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Crop Load Influences Fruit Quality, Nutritional Balance, and Return Bloom in ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.51.3.236 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 236-244 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Sara Serra ◽

Rachel Leisso ◽

Luca Giordani ◽

Lee Kalcsits ◽

Stefano Musacchi

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Postharvest Quality ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

Crop Load ◽

Apple Variety ◽

Return Bloom ◽

The Impact

The apple variety, ‘Honeycrisp’ has been extensively planted in North America during the last two decades. However, it suffers from several agronomic problems that limit productivity and postharvest quality. To reduce losses, new information is needed to better describe the impact of crop load on productivity and postharvest fruit quality in a desert environment and the major region where ‘Honeycrisp’ expansion is occurring. Here, 7-year-old ‘Honeycrisp’ trees on the M9-Nic29 rootstock (2.5 × 0.9 m) were hand thinned to five different crop loads [from 4.7 to 16.0 fruit/cm2 of trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA)] to compare fruit quality, maturity, fruit size, elemental concentration, and return bloom. Fruit size distribution was affected by crop load. Trees with the highest crop load (16 fruit/cm2) produced smaller fruit. Index of absorbance difference (IAD) measurements (absorption difference between 670 and 720 nm), a proxy indicator of the chlorophyll content below the skin of fruit measured by a DA-meter, were made shortly after harvest (T0) and after 6 months of storage (T1). Fruit from the trees with the lowest crop load had lower IAD values indicating advanced fruit ripeness. The comparison between the IAD classes at T0 and T1 showed that fruit belonging to the lowest IAD class had significantly higher red-blushed overcolor percentage, firmness, dry matter, and soluble solid content than those in the “most unripe” class (highest IAD readings) regardless of crop load. The percentage of blushed color, firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids content, and dry matter were all higher in the lowest crop loads at both T0 and T1. Fruit calcium (Ca) concentration was lowest at the lowest crop load. The (K + Mg + N):Ca ratio decreased as crop load increased until a crop load of 11.3 fruit/cm2, which was not significantly different from higher crop loads. For return bloom, the highest number of flower clusters per tree was reported for 4.7 fruit/cm2 crop load, and generally it decreased as crop load increased. Here, we highlight the corresponding changes in fruit quality, storability, and elemental balance with tree crop load. To maintain high fruit quality and consistency in yield, careful crop load management is required to minimize bienniality and improve fruit quality and storability.

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Actinidia (Mini Kiwi) Fruit Quality in Relation to Summer Cutting

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11050964 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 964

Author(s):

Monika Figiel-Kroczyńska ◽

Ireneusz Ochmian ◽

Sabina Lachowicz ◽

Marcelina Krupa-Małkiewicz ◽

Jacek Wróbel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Solid Content ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

Anthocyanin Content ◽

Kiwi Fruit ◽

Antioxidant Power ◽

Soluble Solid ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Moderate Climate

Recently, there has been a trend towards healthy food. Consumers are looking for products that have health-promoting properties in addition to their taste. Actinidia fruit, apart from being tasty, contains valuable macro and micronutrients, vitamins, polyphenols and pectins. Tested cultivar Sientiabrskaja belong to Actinidia arguta and cultivars Geneva, Issai and Ken’s Red to A. kolomitka. They well tolerate conditions of moderate climate with negative temperatures in winter. To improve fruit quality, an additional summer pruning of the plants was performed at the time of ripening. After the second additional cutting of Actinidia shoots, an increase in the content of N, P and K in fruit was observed. The additional pruning also had a beneficial effect on the change in fruit color. The fruits were darker, especially in the cultivars Geneva and Ken’s Red. This is related to the ripening of fruit and an increase in anthocyanin content. Additional summer pruning caused changes in the polyphenol content-the amount of phenolic acid and flavan-3 ols decreased, while the level of anthocyanins increased. The antioxidant capacity also increased as well as fruit size, dry matter, pectin and Soluble Solid Content (SSC) content. The acidity of the fruit also decreased which positively affects the taste of the fruit. The highest content of polyphenols and L-ascorbic acid was found in ‘Sientiabrskaja’ fruit; but the highest antioxidant activity (determined Free Radical Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl-DPPH•, ABTS•+ and Ferric Antioxidant Power-FRAP) was found in fruit with red skin coloring and anthocyanins-‘Issai’ and ‘Ken’s Red’.

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Vertical Distribution of Crop Load and Fruit Quality within Vase- and Y-shaped Canopies of `Elegant Lady' Peach

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.40.3.587 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 587-591 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Vittorio Farina ◽

Riccardo Lo Bianco ◽

Paolo Inglese

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Solid Content ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

Fruit Peel ◽

Crop Load ◽

Soluble Solid ◽

Deep Layers ◽

Peach Trees

Canopy shape and depth may influence crop uniformity of peach trees at harvest. To test this hypothesis we examined yield distribution and fruit quality changes at different canopy levels of peach trees trained to delayed vase (DV) and perpendicular Y (Y). Trees of both training forms were divided vertically into six or seven 50-cm-deep layers and fruit was harvested at commercial ripening from each layer separately. Regardless of training form, number of fruit and yield per layer were highest in the central part of the canopy, but more evenly distributed among canopy layers in Y trees. In DV trees, fruit weight decreased linearly from top to bottom, whereas it remained constant along the top and middle portion of Y canopies to decrease rapidly at the bottom. In DV trees, 83% of the fruit fell into AAA, AA and A size categories, whereas fruit of Y trees was more evenly distributed among all size categories. Hue of fruit peel color increased linearly with distance from canopy top in both training forms, but more sharply in DV trees. Fruit soluble solid content decreased linearly from canopy top to bottom, regardless of training form. A more uniform crop load distribution within the canopy in combination with a light penetration gradient resulted in greater variability of quality parameters for Y than DV trees.

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Optimizing Crop Load for New Apple Cultivar: “WA38”

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy9020107 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 107 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Brendon Anthony ◽

Sara Serra ◽

Stefano Musacchi

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Solid Content ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

Apple Cultivar ◽

Flower Bud ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Crop Load ◽

Washington State University

Crop load management is growing increasingly important as a factor related to biennial tendencies, post-harvest disorders, and inconsistent fruit quality in apples like “Honeycrisp”. Washington State University released a new apple cultivar, called “WA38”, in 2017. Limited literature is available about the productive characteristics of this new cultivar. An experimental trial evaluating the effect of crop load on leaf area, fruit quality, mineral composition, and return bloom of “WA 38” was conducted for two consecutive years (2017 and 2018) to determine an optimal crop load. Trees were trained as a spindle and grafted on Malling-9 Nic29 (Nic29) rootstocks. Crop loads were adjusted to 2, 4, 6, and 8 fruits/cm2 of trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA). Crop load had a significant effect on production, with yields ranging from 28 to 83 MT/ha in 2017. Fruit quality was impacted by increasing crop load, with a reduction in fruit weight, soluble solid content, firmness, dry matter, titratable acidity, and a delay in maturity. Leaf-to-fruit ratios were higher in lower crop loads. Relatively consistent flower bud formation was seen at the 6 and 8 fruits/cm2 categories. A possible threshold for optimal fruit quality and consistent bloom was identified around 6 fruits/cm2 TCSA.

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YIELDING AND FRUIT QUALITY OF SELECTED SWEET CHERRY (Prunus avium) CULTIVARS IN THE CONDITIONS OF CENTRAL POLAND

Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Hortorum Cultus ◽

10.24326/asphc.2019.3.11 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ewa Szpadzik ◽

Tomasz Krupa ◽

Wojciech Niemiec ◽

Ewa Jadczuk-Tobjasz

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Prunus Avium ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Ascorbic Acid Content ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Solid Content ◽

High Yield ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

High Quality ◽

Soluble Solid

The study involving 5 cherry cultivars was conducted in 2015–2016. The varieties ‘Techlovan’, ‘Summit’, ‘Sylvia’, ‘Kordia’ and ‘Regina’ were planted in 2010 in the Experimental Orchard of the Department of Pomology in Warsaw-Wilanów on GiSelA5 rootstock. The aim of the study was to evaluate the production value and dessert fruit quality as well as health proprieties of the tested cultivars’ fruits and select the most valuable ones. It was shown that the varieties differed in fruit set and yielding as well as fruit quality (i.e. fruit size, firmness, soluble solid content, acidity) and health benefits (i.e. polyphenol, anthocyanin, and ascorbic acid content). ‘Techlovan’ trees had the lowest yield, but their fruits were of high quality. ‘Kordia’ and ‘Regina’ also provided high quality fruit with high total polyphenol content. In contrast, the ‘Sylvia’ cultivar had a high yield, but the fruit obtained from it was of poor quality. All tested cultivars had similar vitamin C content.

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Evaluation of production conditions of tomato grafted with different tobacco rootstocks and determining nicotine content and quality of fruit

Acta agriculturae Slovenica ◽

10.14720/aas.2020.115.2.1244 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 115 (2) ◽

pp. 297

Author(s):

Seda TUNÇAY ÇAĞATAY ◽

Gülşah ÇALIK KOÇ ◽

Fereshteh REZAEİ ◽

Özlem DARCANSOY İŞERI ◽

Feride İffet ŞAHIN ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Size ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Solid Content ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

Quality Factors ◽

Nicotine Content ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Tomato Yield ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Soluble Solid

<p>This study aimed to investigate the effects of grafting tomato on different tobacco rootstocks on quality factors and nicotine content. The commercial variety (Solanum lycopersicum ‘H2274’) (BIOTECH) of the tomato was used as the scion plant, and six different tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) rootstocks were used: Taşova, Tekel, Muş, Samsun, Dişbudak, Hasankeyf cultivars. Cleft grafting method was used in all plants. Yield of non-grafted and grafted plants grown in open-field conditions was calculated, and there was a significant increase in yield in grafted tomatoes compared to non-grafted tomatoes. There was significantly increased lycopene and β-carotene levels (mg kg-1), especially in ‘Tekel’, ‘Taşova’, ‘Samsun’, and ‘Hasankeyf’ tobacco grafts. There was a statistically significant difference between grafted and non-grafted plants according to 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical retention capacities and total phenol (TP) values. Evaluation of quality determinants including pH values, titratable acidity values (citric acid %), soluble solid content (SSC)(oBrix) , fruit size ratios, showed that tomatoes grafted with ‘Muş’ tobacco rootstock were of higher quality. There was no significant difference between grafted and non-grafted plants according to nicotine analysis of the tobacco-grafted tomatoes, and due to acceptable ranges of nicotin level on tobacco grafted tomato plants were considered to be suitable for consumption. It could be concluded that grafting practices have significantly positive effects on tomato yield and quality.<br /><br /></p>

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Analysis of pomological traits in new promising sweet cherry genotypes

Genetika ◽

10.2298/gensr1303873a ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 45 (3) ◽

pp. 873-880 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Milica Fotiric-Aksic ◽

Tihomir Nikolic

Keyword(s):

Sweet Cherry ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Solid Content ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

Fresh Market ◽

Total Sugar Content ◽

Ripening Time ◽

Chemical Content

Sweet cherry breeding programs are interested in developing new cultivars that are very early or very late in ripening, high yielding, with excellent fruit size and quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate new, promising, sweet cherry genotypes (G-1 and G-2) for ripening time, fruit morphology and fruit chemical content, and compare it with the standard sweet cherry cultivars (Bigarreau Jaboulay, B. H. Burlat, Seneca, Hedelfiger Riesenkirsche, Germersdorfer Grosse Kirsche, Emperor Francis and Bing). Experiment was done during four consecutive years (2006-2009) in Grocka, near Belgrade. The earliest fruit ripening was recorded in G-2 (22nd April) while the latest in `Bing` (2nd June). Fruit weight varied from 5.83 g (G-2) up to 8.93 g (G-1). Soluble solid content and total sugar content were the lowest in genotype G-2 (10.48%; 8.45%, respectively) but the highest in Emperor Francis (18.28%; 15.98%, respectively). No matter the fact that some standard cultivars showed better results for some traits, genotypes G-1 and G-2 are considered very promising. So, genotype G-1 could be intended for table consumption since it ripens 2-3 days after cv. B. H. Burlat, but have much higher fruit weight. Also, genotype G-2, the earliest in this trial, showed satisfactory fruit weight for this ripening time, which makes it very interesting for fresh market production.

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YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY OF SOME PLUM CULTIVARSIN ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM

Romanian journal of Horticulture ◽

10.51258/rjh.2020.09 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 67-74

Author(s):

Mădălina Butac ◽

Mihai Chivu

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Foliar Application ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Solid Content ◽

Ecological System ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

Soil Application ◽

Soluble Solid ◽

Fruit Growing

The aim of this study was to assess the yield and fruits quality of plum produced in ecological system.In 2019-2020 periods the influence of different fertilizers (Biohumus, Macys BC 28 and Cifamin BK) on yield and fruits quality at three plum cultivars (‘Centenar’, ‘Tita’ and ‘Stanley’) was carried out in a demonstrative plot from Research Institute for Fruit Growing Pitești, Romania. Biohumus was applied to the soil in increasing dosesfrom 0.5 l/tree (respectively 415 l/ha), 0.7 l/tree (respectively 585 l/ha) to 0.9 l / tree (respectively 750 l/ha) in two moments: in spring before the start of vegetation and in autumn after the fall of the leaves.Macys BC 28 and Cifamin BK fertilizers were applied foliar in doses of 2 l/ha, respectively 1 l/ha, in two moments: after flowering and in the young fruit phase.As results of the investigations we found that: the highest fruit yield was obtained at ‘Centenar’ (47.36 kg/tree) and ‘Stanley’ (41.00 kg/tree) cultivars in fertilization variant 3 (Biohumus – 0,9 l/tree, soil application + Macys BC 28 – 2 l/ha, foliar application + Cifamin BK – 1 l/ha, foliar application);the best results regarding the fruits weight were also obtained in the 3rd fertilization variant (Biohumus – 0,9 l/tree, soil application + Macys BC 28 – 2 l/ha, foliar application + Cifamin BK – 1 l/ha, foliar application), among the varieties being noted the ‘Tita’cv. with an average fruit weight of 59. 14 g; the fruits soluble solid content was higher in the case of the fertilized variants than in the unfertilized variant and the fruits aciditywas higher in the case of the unfertilized variant than in the fertilized variants.

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Post-harvest quality of pineapple guava [Acca sellowiana (O. Berg) Burret] fruits produced in two locations at different altitudes in Cundinamarca, Colombia

Agronomía Colombiana ◽

10.15446/agron.colomb.v36n1.68577 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 68-78

Author(s):

Alfonso Parra-Coronado ◽

Gerhard Fischer ◽

Jesús Camacho-Tamayo

Keyword(s):

San Francisco ◽

Fruit Quality ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Solid Content ◽

Annual Precipitation ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

Post Harvest ◽

Pineapple Guava ◽

Average Annual Precipitation

The quality of pineapple guava fruits during post-harvest storage depends directly on their quality at harvest and is influenced by climatic conditions during growth. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of climatic conditions on certain parameters of fruit quality during post-harvest storage. Twenty trees were tagged in two locations within the department of Cundinamarca (Colombia), recording the climatic conditions during fruit growth until harvest. The fruits were differentiated by place of origin and stored at 18 ± 1ºC (76 ± 5% relative humidity, RH) for 11 d or 5 ± 1ºC (87 ± 5% RH) for 31 d, evaluating several quality attributes every two d. The places of origin were San Francisco de Sales (1,800 m a.s.l., 20.6oC, 63-97% RH, with an average annual precipitation of 1,493 mm) and Tenjo (2,580 m a.s.l., 12.5oC, 74-86% RH, with an average annual precipitation of 765 mm). The results indicated that the fruits stored at the highest temperature were sweeter and had reduced weight and firmness, lower acidity, and faster postharvest senescence (lower post-harvest durability). The postharvestN fruit characteristics were determined by considering the fruit quality during growth and the influence of climatic conditions during cultivation in each location. At the higher altitudes, the total soluble solid content in the fruits was higher and firmness decreased, and the total titratable acidity and weight loss were lower. For fruit color, significant differences were not observed that would demonstrate the effect of climatic conditions during the post-harvest period.

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Rapid Rutin Accumulation during Spear Elongation in Asparagus

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.47.5.599 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (5) ◽

pp. 599-602 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Satoru Motoki ◽

Hiroaki Kitazawa ◽

Tomonori Kawabata ◽

Hiroaki Sakai ◽

Ken-ichi Matsushima ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dry Weight ◽

Solid Content ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

Harvesting Time ◽

Appearance Quality ◽

Soluble Solid

Head tightness, soluble solid content (SSC), and rutin level were investigated in asparagus spears harvested at different lengths. We found no correlation between spear length and SSC per dry weight (DW) in spearheads. Spearheads became looser and the rutin content of the spearhead increased as spear length at harvest increased, although appearance quality decreased. These findings revealed that spears previously discarded, because their length did not meet the length specifications, contained abundant rutin. Therefore, spears for which the optimum harvesting time has been missed are a useful rutin source.

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