Abstract

A field trial was conducted at experimental farm of the Division of Horticulture, ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Umiam, Meghalaya, India during 2009 to 2010 to evaluate the effect of chemical fruit thinning and their effect on yield and quality of peach cv. Flordasun. Four chemical thinners viz. Thiourea at 2.5 and 5%, GA₃ at 75 and 100 ppm, Urea at 4 and 6% and Ethrel at 100 and 150 ppm after fruit set were applied. All the thinning treatments increased fruit drop and fruit colour but reduced the fruit firmness. All the chemical treatments except (GA₃ 75 ppm and Urea 4%) after fruit set advanced the time of harvesting. Ethrel at 150 ppm and thiourea at 5% reduced the crop load and improved the physico-chemical characteristics of fruits and fetch premium price in the market due to their attractive colour appearance than control.

Key words: Peach cv. Flordasun, chemical thinning, fruit quality.