Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station

Chu-yin Chiou (2)

Summary

　For improving the fruit quality of Indian jujube and providing cultivation references for farmers, cultural practices of fruit thinning and bagging on the effects of yield and quality were investigated. Plants with similar age and growth vigor of two cultivars, Kaolang 1 and Huangkun were used in this experiment. Two kinds of fruit thinning and two baggings to make four treatment combinations including T0B0 (light fruit thinning without bagging)，T0B1 (light fruit thinning with bagging), T1B0(heavy fruit thinning without bagging) and T1B1(heavy fruit thinning with bagging), with four replications under a completely randomized design. Only one fruit preserved at every two nodes or every node in fruiting branches was designated as heavy and light thinning treatment, respectively. Plastic bag of 14 x 10 cm was applied at hard seed stage.

　Results showed that fruit thinning and bagging affected the fruit yield and quality of the two Indian jujube cultivars. Larger fruit size and higher brix readings were found with heavy thinning. Higher yield, larger fruit size, yellow fruit color and lower brix readings were found under fruit bagging. It showed that fruit with bagging treatment had good appearance but lower in sweetness. For better taste, it is suggested to apply fruit bagging for Huangkun.

Key words: Fruit quality, Fruit thinning, Bagging, Indian jujube

1. Financial supports from the Chungcheng Foundation of Agricultural Science and Technology and Social Welfare for this study was appreciated.
2. Assistant Pomologist, Crop Improvement Division, Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Pingtung.