Chemically thinning spur 'delicious' apples with carbaryl, NAA, and ethephon at various stages of fruit development

Abstract

Chemical fruit thinners were applied to limbs or whole trees of spur 'Delicious' at various stages of fruit development as indicated by fruit diameter. Carbaryl, naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), and ethephon all reduced fruit set when applied at a fruit diameter of ≃4 to 15 mm. Fruit thinning for NAA and carbaryl, alone or combined, generally was greater when applied at an average fruit diameter of 8 mm, rather than at 4 min. Repeated applications of NAA or carbaryl were no more effective than single applications. NAA + carbaryl applied at 9 mm was more effective than NAA applied at 4 mm followed by carbaryl at 8 mm. Applied when fruit diameter averaged 17 to 22 mm, ethephon and ethephon + carbaryl were effective fruit thinners. When applied at full bloom to ≃10 and 20 mm, the insecticides ethion and oxamyl, respectively, were effective fruit thinners.