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Ethephon promotion of crop abscission for unshaken and mechanically shaken macadamia
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Ethephon promotion of crop abscission for unshaken and mechanically shaken macadamia

Stephen J Trueman, C A McConchie and C G N Turnbull
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, Vol.42(7), pp.1001-1008
2002
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/EA01164
url
https://doi.org/10.1071/EA01164View
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Abstract

Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences ethephon abscission Macadamia integrifolia
Ethephon promotes fruit abscission and accelerates harvest of macadamia, Macadamia integrifolia (Proteaceae), but has limited use due to concerns that associated abscission of inner-canopy leaves may reduce subsequent yield and nut quality. Yield and quality were monitored for 2 years following ethephon application to both unshaken and mechanically shaken trees of the late-abscising cultivar, A16. Nut quality was not adversely affected in subsequent seasons, but effects on yield varied. In 3 of 6 experiments, ethephon reduced yield in the year after application. However, in 4 of the 6 experiments, 2 years of ethephon application greatly elevated yield in the third year. This was not a compensating recovery from low second-year yield, as third-year yield of trees that received only 1 ethephon treatment did not differ from yield of control trees. Ethephon-assisted harvest remains feasible for macadamia, although further work is warranted given the potential risks and considerable benefits for subsequent yield. Inner canopy defoliation, resulting from ethephon use, could represent a canopy management technique for dense-canopy fruit trees.

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Domestic collaboration
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Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
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