Flowering and fruiting of two Loquat cultivars in Guangzhou and effects of bagging on fruit quality

Flowering and fruiting of loquat 'Zaozhong No.6' and 'Changhong NoY cultivated in Guangzhou, Guangdong province were observed, and the effects of bagging on the fruit quality were studied. The flowering of both cultivars was quite dispersive in time. Flowering in the same tree lasted about two and half months, while flowering in the same panicle went on for about one month. The initial number of fruit set per particle was over ten in both cultivars, and the late panicles showed better fruit set than the early panicles. The cumulative growth indicated by diameter increase of loquat fruit displayed a sigmoid pattern. The fruit from early blossom showed longer fruit growth period and larger fruit size than those from late flowers. The major difference in fruit growth curve between the "early" and "late" fruit was the duration of the initial growth period (Stage 1). The shorter duration of fruit growth and the smaller fruit size of the "late" fruit might result from the relative higher temperatures during fruit development. There was marked difference in maturation date and quality of fruit bagged with three types of bagging materials. Fruit bagged with the material with a high light penetration matured early and had higher total soluble solid in pulp in both cultivars. This type of bagging resulted in lower percentage of marketable fruit than bagging with low light-penetrating material in 'Zaozhong No.6', which was much sensitive to physiological disorder. In 'Changhong NoY, the three types of bagging material showed comparable effects on fruit visual quality.