Research on the physiological disorders and fruit quality of Cardinal peach

This study was carried out on 'Cardinal' peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) between 2003 and 2005 in Bornova, in Izmir, Turkey to study the effects of irrigation, gibberellic acid (GA(3)) and nitrogen (urea) on the physiological disorders split or shattered pit, double fruit and fruit quality. Irrigation treatments that were tested included 100% (no water stress) and 20% (water stress) replenishment of water depleted from the 100% replenishment treatment at 60 cm soil profile at 10-day intervals. GA(3) and nitrogen (urea) were applied to trees during the flower bud differentiation period at doses of 100 mg L-1 and 900 mg L-1, respectively. Irrigation, nitrogen and gibberellic acid exerted a significant influence on fruit disorders and quality of peach cv. 'Cardinal'. Although the rate of double fruit was increased by water stress, GA(3) and nitrogen application decreased it. Irrigation (100%) during the final swell phase of fruit development accelerated the occurrence of split and shattered pit. Application of nitrogen and gibberellic acid or both to the trees with no water stress resulted in the lowest number of fruits with physiological disorders. Fruit quality characteristics, except for titratable acidity, were not significantly altered by the treatments.