The effect of the time of fruit harvest on flower formation and carbohydrate contents in shoots of Wase satsuma mandarin trees

Abstract

The effect of the time of fruit harvest and that of fruit removal in early-July on flower formation and carbohydrate contents were investigated in Wase satsuma mandarin trees. In the spring shoots of the bearing trees, the flower induction seemed to be retarded in comparison with the summer shoots in the July-defruited trees. Both in the defruited trees and the early harvested (mid-Oct.) trees, flower formation occurred earlier and increased markedly higher by mid-March in comparison with the customary harvested (mid-Nov.) and late harvested (mid-Dec, or mid-Jan.) trees. Starch accumulation in the shoots seemed to parallel flower induction. Our data in Wase satsuma mandarin indicate a clear effect of the fruit harvest before November on both flower formation and starch accumulation.