Year: 1985
Type: article
Abstract: Airblast application of fertilizers, desiccating herbicides, or surfactants reduced fruit set and increased fruit size of ‘Redhaven’ peach [ Prunus persica (L.) Batch]. The addition of the surfactant, aikylaryl polyoxyethylene glyco phosphate ester (Spray Aide), to ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) at rates from 0 ml/liter to 5 ml/liter did not increase thinning. When rates of ATS/ha remained constant, water volumes from 2338 Iiter/ha to 420 liter/ha did not affect thinning. Forty-six percent to 62% more flower buds developed on twigs from chemically thinned trees than on hand thinned trees. Most of this flower bud increase was on the 5 basipetal nodes of current season shoots. Treatment of the stigma, petals + anthers, peduncle, or calyx with ATS reduced fruit-set. Necrotic regions in the peduncle of some flowers could be seen under a microscope 48 hr after treatment. Flowers sprayed with DuPont WK or NH4NO3 + X-77, plus methylene blue (added as a tracer) had blue dye in the veins of the calyx, pedicle, and peduncle of some flowers after 24 hr.
Authors: R. E. Byers, C. G. Lyons
Institutions: Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Virginia Tech
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,500
Funder: University of Pennsylvania
OpenAlex ID: W4289843018