%0 Journal Article
%T Branched Secondary Alcohol Ethoxylate, Ammonium Thiosulfate, Calcium Polysulfides-Thiosulfate, and Fish Oil Effects on Blossom Thinning, Fruit Set and Quality of Peaches and Nectarines
%A Esmaeil Fallahi
%A Amir A. Khoddamzadeh
%A Bahar Fallahi
%A Shahla Mahdavi
%J American Journal of Plant Sciences
%P 1918-1933
%@ 2158-2750
%D 2020
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ajps.2020.1112137
%X Total crop load has an inverse relationship with fruit size, while larger
fruit size is often demanded by the peach and nectarine markets. Hand-thinning
is extremely expensive, and thus, crop load adjustment, using blossom thinners
is a crucial practice to ensure production of commercially acceptable fruit
size and yield efficiency in stone fruit. In this study, the influence of
branched secondary alcohol ethoxylate (Tergitol TMN-6) and/or ammonium
thiosulfate (ATS), Crocker Fish Oil (FO), and a mixture of calcium polysulfides and
thiosulfate (lime sulfur) on fruit set and quality attributes in peaches (Prunus persica) and nectarines (P. persica var. nectarina) were studied. All
blossom thinners reduced fruit set in ”°Summer Lady”± peach in both 2016 and
2017. Fruit sets in ”°Summer Lady”± peach trees with a
double application of Tergitol TMN-6 at the rate
of 7.5 or 10 mL ”¤L”„1, each rate applied at 40% and 80% bloom, were
lower than those receiving the same rates of this chemical only at 80% bloom,
but they were similar to those receiving a single Tergitol TMN-6 spray at 15
mL”¤L”„1 at 80% or 100% bloom. ”°Summer Lady”± peach trees receiving FO
at 20 mL”¤L”„1 plus lime sulfur at 25 mL”¤L”„1, once at 40%
bloom and again at 80% bloom had lower fruit set as compared to Untreated
Control but the fruit set was higher than those with any Tergitol-TMN-6 spray.
Tergitol TMN-6 at 12 m”¤L”„1 at 100% bloom or 10 mL”¤L