Effect of fruit number to leaf area ratio on fruit quality and vegetative growth of ‘Bing’ sweet cherry trees at optimal LAI

CITTADINI E.D., VALLES M.B., RODRIGUEZ J., VAN KEULEN H., PERI P.L.

Bursa, Turquía

Simposio; 5th International Cherry Symposium; 2005

International Society of Horticultural Science

Fruit weight is the main quality parameter of sweet cherries and leaf area (LA) per fruit is the most important characteristic influencing fruit weight. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between Mean Fruit Weight (MFW; g fruit-1) and the ratio of Fruit Numbers to Leaf Area (FNLAR; fruits m-2 LA) for the cultivars ‘Bing’, ‘Van’ and ‘Lapins’, grown under tatura-trellis and vase training systems, at both spur and whole-tree level. The research was performed through regression analysis with FNLAR as independent variable and MFW as dependent variable. There were no significant interactions between training system and cultivar for the effect of FNLAR on MFW at spur and whole-tree level. Also, there were no significant differences between vase and tatura-trellis training systems, probably due to the low LAI of the experimental trees (2.5 in both training systems). Coefficients of determination for the relationships per cultivar were higher at whole-tree level than at spur level. At both spur and whole-tree level, ‘Lapins’ had the highest Y-intercept (which can be assumed as the potential fruit weight) and ’Van’ the lowest. At spur level, no differences between cultivars were detected in their sensitivity to increments in FNLAR, but at whole-tree level ‘Van’ showed less sensitivity than ‘Lapins’ and ‘Bing’. The better fit at whole-tree level suggests that fruits of a spur are not only supplied by the leaves on that spur, but also from other less fruit-loaded spurs, from non-fruiting shoots and from reserves. Different varieties required specific FNLAR to attain a target MFW. They may have different potential weight and can have different sensitivity to increments in FNLAR.