Pre-Harvest Treatments On Canino Apricot Trees to Improve Yield, Fruit Quality at Harvest and During Storage

Abstract

The present study was conducted on eighteen years old Canino apricot trees grown in a private orchard at Motobus, Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, Egypt in 2019 and 2020 seasons to evaluate the effects of preharvest foliar treatments of potassium sulphate at 1.5% and calcium chloride at 2% individually or in combination in addition to Control (tap water) on yield, fruit quality at picking date and during cold storage at 0±1°C with 90 – 95 % RH. Canino apricot trees were sprayed three times starting after full bloom, fruit setting and finally ten days before harvest with one of the abomination treatments. The results showed that all treatments increased yield and improved fruit weight, size, height and width compared to control. Application of 1.5% K2SO4 produced the highest vitamin C content and SSC% after 7, 14 and 21 days of cold storage in both seasons. While, Application of 2% CaCl2 showed the lowest fruit decay % and SSC %, and maintained fruit firmness until 28 days of cold storage in both seasons. The combination between 1.5 % K2SO4 and 2% CaCl2 treatment produced the highest vitamin C content and acidity% and maintained fruit weight loss% and SSC/acid ratio in lowest values until 21 and 28 days of cold storage in both seasons. Finally, it could be recommend to spray K2SO4 at 1.5% and CaCl2 at 2% on Canino apricot trees three times to increase yield and improve physical and chemical fruit quality and maintains characteristics of fruit under cold storage.