Fruit thinning chemical agents improves fruit size and quality in ‘kinnow’ Mandarin
‘Kinnow’ mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) fruit needs to be thinned to increase the availability of photosynthates used to increase fruit size, fruit quality, profitability and can also help to overcome alternate bearing. This study evaluated ‘Kinnow’ fruit thinning using three chemical agents with different levels of concentration i.e. naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) @ 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 gL 1; 3,5,6 trichloro 2 pyridyloxyacetic acid (3,5,6 TPA) at TPA at 0.2, 0.5, and 0.7 gL 1, and ethephon @ at 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6 gL 1, in Pakistani orchards just after the June fruit drop for two growing seasons 2017 19. Fruit weight was increased due to chemical thinning application when compared with the respective controls.
