Effects of Preharvest Gibberellic Acid Applications on Fruit Quality of '0900 Ziraat' Sweet Cherry

摘要

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of gibberellic acid (GA(3)) applications on fruit quality of '0900 Ziraat' sweet cherry (Prunus avium),a low cropping and a large-fruited variety. '0900 Ziraat' trees were sprayed with 0, 15,20, and 25 ppm GA(3), when the fruit were at their straw-yellow color stage. Fruit quality was evaluated at harvest in terms of size, firmness, pedicel length, and soluble solids content (SSC) to determine the optimum application. Fruit treated with GA(3) were significantly larger and firmer than the controls. There were no differences in fruit firmness within the different levels of GA(3) treatment; however, fruit treated with 20 and 25 ppm GA(3) were significantly larger than the fruit treated with 15 ppm GA(3). Trees treated with the optimum concentration of GA(3) (25 ppm) in two different locations yielded fruit with 13.4% and 14.1% greater weight and 38% and 25% higher firmness. GA(3) treatments did not affect pedicel length. The effect of GA(3) application on SSC was complex; there was a significant interaction between GA(3) and location. Being firmer than the controls, the GA(3)-treated fruit could be harvested at a later date than the controls.