Thinning efficacy of metamitron on young 'RoHo 3615' (Evelina®) apple

Abstract

To achieve a high quantity of premium class fruit, chemical thinning is an important component of crop load management in apples. For this purpose, the triazine-type photosynthetic inhibitor metamitron was registered for fruit thinning in Germany. Frequent studies demonstrated consistent thinning effects of metamitron on trees of different apple and pear cultivars. In the present study, the efficacy of metamitron applied at a low concentration (165 g ha−1) was investigated in 2016 and 2017 on young 'RoHo3615' apple trees, planted in 2014. The highest fruit set reduction was achieved when metamitron was applied twice. Single application, in contrast, led to variable results and pointed out the strong dependence of the thinning efficacy of metamitron on favourable weather conditions. Adding citric acid or the growth regulator prohexadione-Ca in combination with ammonium sulphate did not affect the thinning efficacy of metamitron. The fruit quality was high in any treatment and no effects of thinning treatment on fruit colouration or percentage of skin russeting were observed. Consequently, metamitron is an effective fruit thinning agent for young apple trees, which can be additionally used in combination with the mentioned substances, while maintaining a high fruit quality