Abstract
Effects of crop load on leaf characteristics, shoot growth, fruit shape, fruit quality, and return bloom were investigated in 13-year-old `Ruby Red' grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.) on `Swingle' citrumleo rootstock. Trees were hand thinned in June 2003 and 2004 at the end of physiological fruit drop to establish three to four levels of crop load ranging from normal (high crop load without thinning) to extremely low (near 90% fruit removal). Leaves on high crop load trees had higher net assimilation of CO2 (ACO2) than those on low crop load trees. Crop load enhancement of ACO2 continued until harvest. In 2004, however, the effects were diminished in October just prior to the beginning of the harvest season, after leaf and fruit loss from three consecutive hurricanes. There was no difference in leaf dry weight per leaf area and leaf nitrogen among treatments. Nonfruiting branches of high crop load trees produced fewer, but longer, summer flushes than those of low crop load trees. Fruiting branches generally produced few summer flushes with similar shoot lengths among treatments. High crop load trees developed a greater percentage of vegetative shoots, whereas low crop load trees developed more inflorescences. Crop load adjustments did not affect fruit size and total soluble solid content, but low crop load trees produced a higher percentage of irregular shape (sheepnosed) fruit with high acidity.
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