Our objectives were to determine if gibberellic acid (GA3) application at color break in the fall affected the juice content, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acid (TA), and ratio of SSC: TA of `Hamlin' orange (Citrus sinensis) fruit following moderate to severe freezes. We also wanted to know if GA3 affected the post-freeze rate of decrease in juice content, fruit and tree cold hardiness, and the amount of fruit drop following a freeze. GA3 (18 floz/acre) was applied at color break in the fall of 2002, 2003, and 2004 to `Hamlin' orange trees on Swingle citrumelo (C. sinensis × Poncirus trifoliata) rootstock planted in 1995 at Gainesville, Fla. Moderate to severe freezes occurred in all three seasons. Fruit were harvested at about 2-week intervals following freezes in each season and the internal fruit quality was determined. GA3-treated fruit generally had higher juice content compared with nontreated fruit for 8 weeks after moderate to severe freezes in all three seasons, which may be economically important to citrus processors and growers since Florida growers are paid based on fruit pounds-solids (juice content × SSC). The rate of decrease in juice content over time was similar for both treatments in seasons one and two, but was less for GA3-treated fruit than nontreated fruit in season three. In addition, SSC was equal to or slightly greater for fruit treated with GA3 than for nontreated fruit. Fruit drop rate and magnitude were also significantly less for the GA-treated compared with nontreated trees in two of three seasons. GA3 did not affect fruit, leaf, or tree cold hardiness in any season.

No abstract

EcoLyst, a formulation of N-N-diethyl-2-(4-methylbenzyloxy) ethylamine hydrochloride containing 1 g/floz [4.5 oz/gal (33.8 g·L-1)] a.i., is a plant growth regulator that has been reported to increase soluble solids concentration (SSC) in juice oranges by 0.6% to 1.2%. Our objectives were to determine the effectiveness of EcoLyst application for increasing SSC in Florida oranges (Citrus sinensis) and grapefruit (C. paradisi), and to identify the optimum rate and time of application. Experiments were conducted for three seasons using `Hamlin,' `Pineapple,' and `Valencia' sweet oranges; and for two seasons using `Flame,' `Marsh,' and `Ray Ruby' grapefruit, all in commercial groves. EcoLyst was applied at 6 and 12 floz/acre (0.44 and 0.88 L·ha-1) for oranges and 16 and 32 ppm (mg·L-1) [effectively 9 and 18 floz/acre (0.66 and 1.32 L·ha-1) in most sprays] for grapefruit, and included Silwet L-77 adjuvant at 0.05%. Applications were made at several stages of development from prebloom to initial fruit set. In all cases, SSC was determined as juice corrected SSC, by adjusting refractometer readings based on titratable acidity. In 13 trials with sweet orange only five displayed significant increases in SSC (P ≤ 0.05) resulting from EcoLyst application. Two additional trials produced SSC increases significant at P < 0.10. Even where significant increases in SSC occurred they were typically observed in only one harvest and at one time of application and were always relatively low in magnitude (highest increase over controls was 0.38%). No rate or timing of EcoLyst application was consistently associated with best response, although eight of nine SSC increases observed in orange occurred with applications ranging from prebloom to 25% open flowers. Only one significant increase in SSC was observed in five trials with grapefruit. In these studies, increases in SSC resulting from EcoLyst application were neither sufficiently consistent nor large enough to justify a recommendation for commercial use in Florida citrus.

Several studies suggest that optimum N rate and application frequency differ among citrus rootstocks. 'Rhode Red' valencia orange trees [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] on three rootstocks, C. volkameriana Ten. and Pasq., 'Carrizo' citrange [C. sinensis (L.) Osb. x Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.], and 'Swingle' citrumelo [C. paradisi Macf. x P. trifoliata (L.) Raf.], were used to determine if N rate and application frequency should be adjusted, based on rootstock, during the first 3 years in the field. Treatments were arranged in a 3 × × × × × 3 × × × × × 3 (rootstock, N rates, N application frequency, respectively) factorial experiment. Annual N application rates ranged from 68 to 272 g/tree depending on tree age, and N was applied biweekly, weekly or monthly. Application frequency had no effect on trunk diameter or leaf N concentration in any year. Rootstock had a significant effect on growth in all 3 years, with trees on C. volkameriana being largest and having the greatest yields, followed by those on 'Carrizo' and 'Swingle', respectively. Trees on C. volkameriana were larger than those on the other rootstocks because they were larger at planting, grew over a longer period during the year, and often grew at a faster rate. Nitrogen rate had no effect on growth during the first 2 years in the field, but the highest N rate increased yields in year 3 for trees on C. volkameriana and 'Swingle' rootstocks. Interaction between rootstock and N rate was nonsignificant for trunk diameter, but it was significant for yield, suggesting that trees on C. volkameriana responded more to increased N than did those on the other rootstocks.

The authors’ objectives were to determine whether gibberellic acid (GA3) initially increases juice content of ‘Rohde Red’ valencia oranges and prevents or delays decreases in juice content after a freeze, and to determine whether there is an interaction between GA3, rootstock, and juice content. The experiment consisted of a 2 (+, –GA3) × 3 (rootstock) factorial using a completely randomized design with 10 replications per treatment. Gibberellic acid was applied to mature ‘Rohde Red’ valencia [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] orange trees on three rootstocks—Citrus volkameriana Ten. & Pasq.(Volk), Swingle citumelo [C. paradisi Macf. ×Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.], and Carrizo citrange [C. sinensis ×P. trifoliata]—at color break in Fall 2002, 2003, and 2004. Juice content, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), ratio of SSC to TA, and kilogram solids per box were determined at about 2-week intervals after several freezes. In 2002–03 and 2004–05, juice content in the fall was greater and the rate of decrease in juice content lower for GA3-treated fruit than nontreated fruit for about 8 weeks after a freeze. In contrast, in 2003–04, juice content and rate of decrease in juice content were not different between treatments. Juice content was lower for fruit from ‘Rohde Red’ trees on Volk compared with those on Carrizo and Swingle, and more important, the rate of decrease in juice content after a freeze was greatest for trees on Volk in all three seasons. Soluble solids content, TA, SSC-to-TA ratio, and kilogram solids generally were not effected by GA3 treatment. Therefore, GA3 application at color break in the fall generally increased juice content and slowed the rate of decrease in juice content after a freeze compared with nontreated fruit. In addition, juice content differed significantly with rootstock, but there was no GA3 × rootstock interaction.