The Influence of Shoot Competition on Fruit Retention and Cropping of Apple Trees

Flower Induction and Flower Bud Development in Apple and Sweet Cherry

“…The overshadowing, both in the year preceding flower bud formation and in the current year, decreases the photosynthetic potential of the spurs by means of decreasing the specific weight of the primary leaves, the leaf area of the bourse shoots and the specific weight of these leaves. The bourse shoots arising from the dormant flower buds initially restrict the fruit setting and early fruit development within the system of the bearing spur, but later favor retaining of fruits, particularly at the June drop of fruitlets (100).…”

Hormonal Control of Parthenocarpic Ovary Growth by the Apical Shoot in Pea1

“…The growth of vegetative organs competes with fruit growth, and the removal of vegetative parts enhances fruit development (Quinlan and Preston, 1971;Matsui et al, 1978;García-Martínez and Beltrán, 1992). In pea parthenocarpy can be induced by severing the shoot just above the unpollinated ovary .…”

Inhibition of Auxin Transport from the Ovary or from the Apical Shoot Induces Parthenocarpic Fruit-Set in Tomato Mediated by Gibberellins

“…For instance, pea (Pisum sativum) fruit development reduces apical shoot growth, and this effect is proportional to the number of growing fruits (García-Martínez and Beltrán, 1992), while reduction of vegetative growth by application of plant growth retardants (Davis and Curry, 1991) or mechanical elimination of apical and axillary shoots in grape (Vitis vinifera; Coombe, 1962) and apple (Malus domestica; Quinlan and Preston, 1971) favors fruit growth. In the case of pea, plant decapitation not only increases growth of pollinated ovaries but also induces parthenocarpic growth of unpollinated ovaries (Carbonell and García-Martínez, 1980).…”