Effects of hand and chemical thinning on fruit size and quality of ‘Priana’ and ‘Beliana’ apricot (Prunus armeniaca) cultivars

Abstract

Mut in the eastern Mediterranean region is the most important table apricot (Prunus armeniaca) growing centre in Turkey. Annual apricot production is 100 000 t. The importance of the area is its earliness. This thinning study was carried out on ‘Priana’ and ‘Beliana’ apricot in 2002. In this experiment, 30%, 50%, 70% hand thinning; 1000, 1500, 2000 ppm carbaryl, and 10, 20, and 30 ppm naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) were applied. The main objective of this work was to improve fruit quality characteristics. All treatments significantly increased fruit weight. The biggest fruit were obtained from 20 ppm NAA, 70% hand thinning, and 1000 ppm carbaryl for both apricot cultivars. The soluble solids (TSS) were greatest (13.53%) for 70% hand thinning and 20 ppm NAA in ‘Priana’. When the fruit weight, average size of the fruits, and flesh/ seed ratios were considered; 70% hand thinning, 20 ppm NAA, and 1000 ppm carbaryl treatments were found more effective than the others in both apricot cultivars. The earliest treatments were 50% and 70% hand thinning and 20 ppm NAA in ‘Priana’ ; 70% hand thinning, 20 and 30 ppm NAA in ‘Beliana’. All thinning applications caused 1–2 days earliness in comparison with control fruits.