Carbohydrate content in branches and abscission of fruit of peach trees subjected to chemical thinning

Teor de carboidratos nos ramos e abscisão de frutos de pessegueiros submetidos ao raleio químico

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of chemical thinning with metamitron on fruit of the Maciel and Sensação peach (Prunus persica) tree cultivars, as well as to identify its relation to the carbohydrate content in their branches. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks, and the treatments were trees with no thinning, manual fruit thinning, and chemical thinning with 200 mg L^-1 metamitron applied at 20, 40, and 60 days after full blooming. The evaluated variables were: abscission percentage, yield per plant, number of fruit, presence of lignin in fruit, and carbohydrate content in the branches. The carbohydrate content was evaluated in trees with and without chemical thinning seven days after the application of the product. The use of metamitron promotes fruit thinning in the ‘Maciel’ and ‘Sensação’ peach trees, with a decrease in the carbohydrate content in their branches. Metamitron application 20 and 40 days after full blooming favors fruit abscission in both studied cultivars.

Index terms:
Prunus persica ; blooming; fruit quality; metamitron; number of fruit