THE EFFECT OF CLIMATIC CONDITIONS ON FRESH FIG FRUIT YIELD, QUALITY AND TYPE OF CROP

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different climatic conditions on fresh fig fruit yield, quality, and type of crop of three fig cultivars : Kadota, Kennedy and Larga de Burdeos established in three fields in central-north Chile. Four trials were established in September 1997: two trials at Las Cardas Experimental Station belonging to the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Chile (30°18'S; 7130°15'E), one at Cerrillos de Tamaya (3030°43'S; 7030°58'E) and one in El Palqui, Ovalle (3030°33'S; 7130°21'E). Climatic parameters for each locality were registered during 1999 and 2000. Five replications of each cultivar of 3 year old plants were evaluated for each of the following parameters: trunk cross sectional area increment (cm2) at the beginning and at the end of the growing season, shoot growth (cm) from oct. 99 to april. 00, total fig production (Kg/plant and n°/plant)), final fruit size (mm) and weight (g), and soluble solids content (B). Fruit parameters were evaluated in all fruits present in 4 previously marked shoots in each replication. Almost all the vegetative and productive parameters evaluated showed significant differences between the trial at El Palqui (with higher temperatures and higher solar radiation), and the other two sites. In cvs. Kadota and Kennedy, the difference in fruit weight per plant was more than 10 times higher, while cv.Larga de Burdeos, though also more productive at El Palqui, showed somewhat less climatic effect. For fruit weight, cv. Kadota had an increase of 71,3% and 85,4% when compared to the fruit of the same cv. collected at Cerrillos de Tamaya and Las Cardas, respectively. Also, for the three cultivars, harvest time began in the 4th week of january at El Palqui and one month later in the other two localities.