Aiming to study fruit set increase of young 'Monte Parnaso' navel orange trees (Citrus sinensis Osb.), plants were sprayed with 0, 10, 20, or 30 ppm of gibberellic acid (GA3) solution, plus 0 or 1% of mineral oil. Two experiments were set up: one spraying the trees twice, on 22nd and 29th of July, 1993, and another spraying the trees on 15th of September, 1993, when it was all at full bloom. In both experiments 50% of the trees were ringed 5 cm down the first branch of the crown. Results showed that fruit production decreased linearly with the increasing of GA3, applyied on 22nd and 27th of July, 1993; there was no significant effect for GA3 applyied at full bloom. The spraying of 1% mineral oil decreased harvest by 42%, mainly when applyied at the end of July. Ringing increased fruiting nearly to 25% and decreased the average fruit size.
Citrus sinensis; fruit set; productivity
