Benefits of chemical thinning: To achieve good thinning and fruit quality, all chemical thinners need to be applied at the appropriate physiological stage and under the climatic conditions best suited to each chemical. Choice of thinning chemical is important, as some cultivars do not respond well to some chemicals.

In the early 20th century, researchers in California, Germany, South Africa and Australia reported that Williams’ fruit had no seeds. The full name of the variety, Williams’ Bon Chretien, is also referred to as WBC or Bartlett. The term parthenocarpy was introduced, and is defined as the development of fruit…

Understanding the mechanisms involved in flowering and fruit set can help orchardists to manage crop loads, resulting in improved yields, fruit quality and returns.

There has been a great effort by Cherry Growers Australia in recent weeks to focus growers to adequately prune for improved quality, to fine-tune nutrition for improved quality, and to assist with the management and timing of application of growth regulators for increased firmness and quality.However, there might be some…

Apple and cherry growers have greater control over bud break, flowering and time of maturity when they apply Waiken. Depending on when it is applied, it can be used to bring forward, or to delay bud-break.

Crop load has been managed over the last 25–30 years by pruning and chemical thinning, followed up with hand-thinning.

Cherry fruit buds that formed during last summer are showing great promise across most of the cherry growing regions of Australia.

Apple and cherry growers have greater control over bud break, flowering and time of maturity when they apply Waiken.

Why is early crop load management so important?The natural fruit drop observed in fruit trees, particularly apples, in early summer is insufficient to achieve optimum crop loads, fruit size and quality, or to prevent biennial bearing.

Application of Waiken gives apple and cherry growers greater control over bud break, flowering and time of maturity. Depending on when it is applied, it can be used to bring forward, or to delay bud-break.

Observations: Fruit size was not affected by light exposure or tree side, only by the number of fruits, with the low crop load showing the bigger fruit, as expected.Blush colour was affected differently by the light exposure and tree side.

Irregularity in cropping is a major economic constraint in many fruit tree orchards. Understanding the mechanisms involved in flowering and fruit set can help orchardists to manage crop loads, resulting in improved yields, fruit quality and returns.