Consistency of fruit quality is extremely important in horticulture. Fruit growth and quality in nectarine are affected by fruit position in the canopy, related to the tree shape. The “open shaped” training systems, such as Tatura Trellis, improve fruit growth and quality. The Index of Absorbance Difference ( ) is a new marker that characterizes climacteric fruit during ripening. A study on fruit ripening was performed by using the on nectarine to monitor fruit maturity stages of two cultivars trained as Tatura Trellis in Victoria, Australia. Fruit of cv “Summer Flare 34” (“SF34”) grown in different positions on the tree showed high ripening homogeneity. Fruit harvested at a similar ripening stage showed fruit firmness and soluble solid content homogeneity. Fruits from hand-thinned variety “Summer Flare 26” (“SF26”) were larger in size, had advanced ripening, and showed greater homogeneity. For “SF26”, a weak correlation between and SSC was observed. The experiment showed that the Tatura Trellis training system is characterized by high homogeneity of nectarine fruit when coupled with a proper management of fruit density. It also confirmed that the could be used as new nondestructive maturity index for nectarine fruit quality assessment in the field. 1. Introduction A tree training system is defined as a method of manipulating the tree structure and canopy geometry to improve the interception and distribution of light, for the purpose of optimizing fruit quality and yield [1]. In 1970, a group of Australian researchers developed the Tatura Trellis [2], suitable for the complete mechanization of harvest in intensive peach orchards. Despite of the higher light available and photosynthetic rate that this tree shape allows, it was judged too expensive because of the intensive work needed to maintain the complex scaffold. Keeping the same open canopy design, simplified and cheaper tree shapes were developed during the following decades, such as the “KAC V” [3] and “Y” [1]. Several aspects of the Tatura Trellis training system on apple and cherry trees were studied [4], but only a few experiments on tree productivity were available regarding peach fruit [5]. Numerous studies on different tree architectures pointed out that fruit position in the canopy represents one of the most critical factors for peach fruit quality development and homogeneity of fruit characteristics [6–8] related to the light availability [9]. The open center training systems increase the light available in the inner canopy, giving rise to a gradient of quality traits. Fruit that develops
References
[1]
T. Caruso, C. Di Vaio, F. Guarino, A. Motisi, and V. Nuzzo, “Peach varieties for intensive plantations in Southern Italy,” in 4th Congresso Nazionale Sulla Peschicoltura Meridionale, F. P. Marra and F. Sottile, Eds., pp. 44–51, Panuzzo Prontostampa, Caltanisseta, Italy, 2003.
[2]
D. J. Chalmers and I. B. Wilson, “Productivity of peach trees: tree growth and water stress in relation to fruit growth and assimilate demand,” Annals of Botany, vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 285–294, 1978.
[3]
T. M. DeJong, “Developmental and environmental control of dry-matter partitioning in peach,” HortScience, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 1037–1040, 1999.
[4]
E. D. Cittadini, N. de Ridder, P. L. Peri, and H. van Keulen, “Relationship between fruit weight and the fruit-to-leaf area ratio, at the spur and whole-tree level, for three sweet cherry varieties,” Acta Horticulturae, vol. 795, pp. 669–672, 2008.
[5]
B. van den Ende, “The tatura trellis,” Compact Fruit Tree, vol. 27, article 97, 1994.
[6]
V. Farina, R. Lo Bianco, and P. Inglese, “Vertical distribution of crop load and fruit quality within vase- and Y-shaped canopies of“Elegant Lady” peach,” HortScience, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 587–591, 2005.
[7]
M. Dani, “Connection between the light availability and the peach fruit quality,” Cereal Research Communications, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 337–340, 2007.
[8]
F. L. He, F. Wang, Q. P. Wei, X. W. Wang, and Q. Zhang, “Relationships between the distribution of relative canopy light intensity and the peach yield and quality,” Agricultural Sciences in China, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 297–302, 2008.
[9]
K. S. Lewallen and R. P. Marini, “Relationship between flesh firmness and ground color in peach as influenced by light and canopy position,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 128, no. 2, pp. 163–170, 2003.
[10]
L. Corelli Grappadelli and D. C. Coston, “Thinning pattern and light environment in peach tree canopies influence fruit quality,” HortScience, vol. 26, no. 12, pp. 1464–1466, 1991.
[11]
T. Caruso, A. de Michele, F. Sottile, and F. P. Marra, “La peschicoltura siciliana nel contesto italiano: ambiente, cultivar e tecniche colturali,” in 2nd Atti Convegno sulla Peschicoltura Meridionale, pp. 83–88, Paestum, Italy, July 1998.
[12]
S. Sansavini, L. Corelli, and L. Giunchi, “Peach yield efficiency as related to tree shape,” Acta Horticulturae, vol. 173, pp. 139–158, 1985.
[13]
L. C. Grappadelli and S. Sansavini, “Light interception and photosynthesis related to planting density and canopy management in apple,” Acta Horticulturae, vol. 243, pp. 159–174, 1989.
[14]
G. Costa, M. Noferini, G. Fiori, and A. Orlandi, “Non-destructive technique to assess internal fruit quality,” Acta Horticulturae, vol. 603, pp. 571–575, 2003.
[15]
M. Delwiche and R. A. Baumgardner, “Ground color measurements of peach,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 108, pp. 1012–1016, 1983.
[16]
R. P. Marini, D. Sowers, and M. C. Marini, “Peach fruit quality is affected by shade during final swell of fruit growth,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 116, no. 3, pp. 383–389, 1991.
[17]
I. Iglesias and G. Echeverría, “Differential effect of cultivar and harvest date on nectarine colour, quality and consumer acceptance,” Scientia Horticulturae, vol. 120, no. 1, pp. 41–50, 2009.
[18]
R. Infante, C. Pía, M. Noferini, and G. Costa, “Determination of harvest maturity of D’Agen plums using the chlorophyll absorbance index,” Ciencia e Investigación Agraria, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 199–203, 2011.
[19]
A. I. Cascales, E. Costell, and F. Romojaro, “Effects of the degree of maturity on the chemical composition, physical characteristics and sensory attributes of peach (Prunus persicas) cv. caterin,” Food Science and Technology International, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 345–352, 2005.
[20]
V. Ziosi, M. Noferini, G. Fiori et al., “A new index based on vis spectroscopy to characterize the progression of ripening in peach fruit,” Postharvest Biology and Technology, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 319–329, 2008.
[21]
F. Gottardi, M. Noferini, G. Fiori, M. Barbanera, C. Mazzini, and G. Costa, “The index of absorbance difference ( ) as a tool for segregating peaches and nectarines into homogeneous classes with different shelf-life and consumer acceptance,” in Proceedings of the 8th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium, Firenze, Italy, 2009.
[22]
Costa, et al., Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Kiwifruit, University of Bologna, 2010.
[23]
E. Magnanini, E. Bonora, and G. Vitali, “PlantToon—drawing and pruning fruit trees,” in Proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Functional-Structural Plant Models, p. 255, Davis, Calif, USA, September 2010.
[24]
G. Volpe, R. Lo Bianco, and M. Rieger, “Carbon autonomy of peach shoots determined by 13C-photoassimilate transport,” Tree Physiology, vol. 28, no. 12, pp. 1805–1812, 2008.
[25]
G. Reig, S. Alegre, I. Iglesias, G. Echeverría, and F. Gatius, “Fruit quality, colour development and index of absorbance difference ( ) of different nectarine cultivars at different harvest dates,” in Proceedings of the 28th IHC International Symposium on Postharvest Technology, vol. 934, pp. 1117–1126, Acta Horticulturae, 2012.
[26]
C. Valero, C. H. Crisosto, and D. Slaughter, “Relationship between nondestructive firmness measurements and commercially important ripening fruit stages for peaches, nectarines and plums,” Postharvest Biology and Technology, vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 248–253, 2007.
[27]
R. Cubeddu, C. D'Andrea, A. Pifferi et al., “Nondestructive quantification of chemical and physical properties of fruits by time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy in the wavelength range 650–1000？nm,” Applied Optics, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 538–543, 2001.
[28]
R. Cubeddu, C. D'Andrea, A. Pifferi et al., “Time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy applied to the nondestructive monitoring of the internal optical properties in apples,” Applied Spectroscopy, vol. 55, no. 10, pp. 1368–1374, 2001.
[29]
Costa, et al., Proceedings of the 10 International Symposium on Integrating Canopy, Rootstock and Environmental Physiology in Orchard Systems, University of Bologna, 2012.
[30]
V. Nuzzo, B. Dichio, A. M. Palese, and C. Xiloyannis, “Sviluppo della chioma ed intercettazione radiativa in piante di pesco allevate ad Y trasversale ed a vaso ritardato nei primi tre anni dall’impianto,” in Proceedings of 5th Giornate Scientifiche SOI, O. Failla and I. Piagnani, Eds., pp. 319–320, Edizioni Tecnos, Milan, Italy, 2000.
[31]
L. C. Grappadelli and R. P. Marini, “Orchard planting systems,” in The Peach: Botany, Production and Uses, D. R. Layne and D. Bassi, Eds., pp. 264–288, 2008.
[32]
M. Génard and C. Bruchou, “A functional and exploratory approach to studying growth: the example of the peach fruit,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 118, pp. 317–323, 1993.
[33]
A. Weibel, Effect of size-controlling rootstocks on vegetative and reproductive growth of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] [M.S. thesis], University of California, Davis, Calif, USA, 1999.
[34]
B. Basile, L. I. Solari, and T. M. Dejong, “Intra-canopy variability of fruit growth rate in peach trees grafted on rootstocks with different vigour-control capacity,” Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, vol. 82, no. 2, pp. 243–256, 2007.
[35]
I. R. Dann and P. H. Jerie, “Gradients in maturity and sugar levels of fruit within peach trees,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 113, pp. 27–31, 1988.
[36]
R. P. Marini and D. L. Sowers, “Peach fruit weight is influenced by crop density and fruiting shoot length but not position on the shoot,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 119, no. 2, pp. 180–184, 1994.
[37]
P. Tonutti, C. Bonghi, and A. Ramina, “Fruit firmness and ethylene biosynthesis in three cultivars of peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch),” Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 141–147, 1996.
[38]
D. A. Brummell, V. D. Cin, S. Lurie, C. H. Crisosto, and J. M. Labavitch, “Cell wall metabolism during the development of chilling injury in cold-stored peach fruit: association of mealiness with arrested disassembly of cell wall pectins,” Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 55, no. 405, pp. 2041–2052, 2004.
[39]
R. P. Marini and J. R. Trout, “Sampling procedures for minimizing variation in peach fruit quality,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 109, no. 3, pp. 361–364, 1984.
[40]
G. Hale, J. Lopresti, E. Bonora, D. Stefanelli, and R. Jones, “Using non-destructive methods to correlate chilling injury with fruit maturity,” in Proceedings of the 7th International Post-Harvest Symposium, Malaysia, 2012, Acta Horticolturae, March 2013.
[41]
R. Infante, “Harvest maturity indicators in the stone fruit industry,” Stewart Postharvest Review, pp. 1–6, 2012.
[42]
T. M. DeJong and J. F. Doyle, “Leaf gas exchange and growth response of mature “Fantasia” nectarine trees to paclobutrazol,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 109, pp. 878–882, 1984.
[43]
R. Scorza, L. Zailong, G. W. Lightner, and L. E. Gilreath, “Dry matter distribution and responses to pruning within a population of standard, semidwarf, compact, and dwarf peach seedlings,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 111, pp. 541–545, 1986.
[44]
T. M. DeJong, K. R. Day, and J. F. Doyle, “The Kearney agricultural center perpendicular “V” (KAC-V) orchard system for peaches and nectarines,” HortTechnology, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 362–367, 1994.
[45]
M. Forlani, B. Basile, C. Cirillo, and C. Iannini, “Effects of harvest date and fruit position along the tree canopy on peach fruit quality,” Acta Horticulturae, vol. 2, pp. 459–466, 2002.
[46]
G. Costa and G. Vizzotto, “Fruit thinning of peach trees,” Plant Growth Regulation, vol. 31, no. 1-2, pp. 113–119, 2000.
[47]
M. Faust, Physiology of Temperate Zone Fruit Trees, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, USA, 1989.
[48]
E. W. Pavel and T. M. DeJong, “Source- and sink-limited growth periods of developing peach fruits indicated by relative growth rate analysis,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 118, no. 6, pp. 820–824, 1993.
[49]
C. H. Crisosto, T. DeJong, K. R. Day et al., “Studies on stone fruit internal breakdown,” in 1994 Research Reports for California Peaches and Nectarines, California Tree Fruit Agreement, Sacramento, Calif, USA, 1995.
