Effects of Denapon and Ethrel on thinning grapes

Abstract

The effectiveness of Denapon and Ethrel as a thinning chemical for ‘Muscat of Alexandria’ grape was examined from 1980 to 1982 with various timings and concentrations of application. Ethrel applied at 50 mg l −1 by cluster-dipping or shoot-spraying at full bloom, or 6 days after full bloom, resulted in over-thinning and chemical injury, and no thinning effect was found when Ethrel was applied at 10 or 5 mg l −1 on the same dates. The only treatment which exhibited a desirable thinning effect was shoot-spraying at 50 mg l −1 12 days after full bloom, but this markedly inhibited berry growth. Denapon applied at 1667 mg l −1 by shoot-spraying at full bloom, or 6 days after full bloom, reduced the number of berries per cluster almost adequately and consistently without any unfavorable side effects. This chemical applied at 834 mg l −1 was nearly as effective as when applied at 1667 mg l −1, but the effectiveness of the former was less consistent than that of the latter. From these results, Denapon is thought to be a promising thinning chemical for ‘Muscat of Alexandria’.