Differential Response of the Leaf Fruit Ratio and Girdling on the Leaf Nutrient Concentrations, Yield, and Quality of Nectarine

Source-sink relationships and the management of carbon partitioning among sinks in plants help us to understand crop physiology and yield limiting issues. The effect of variable leaf fruit ratio alone or in combination with girdling on the yield and fruit quality performance of nectarine peach cv. Silver King was analysed. With increasing leaf fruit ratio alone or in conjunction with girdling, the greatest leaf nutrients, such as N, P, K, Ca, and Mg, decreased. The fruit yield decreased linearly as the leaf fruit ratio increased and the lowest yield was reported with the leaf fruit ratio of 50:1 plus girdling half the bark. However, the fruit quality in terms of fruit size and weight were maximum when the leaf fruit ratio was 40:1 and half the bark was girdled. Other fruit quality indicators such as total soluble solids, total sugars, and sugar acid ratio were highest when the leaf fruit ratio was 50:1 coupled with girdling half the bark. The treatment with the lowest titratable acidity was leaf fruit ratio 40:1 + girdling half the bark, followed by leaf fruit ratio 40:1 + girdling half the bark. When compared to control, all of the leaf fruit ratio treatments alone or in combination with girdling half the bark advanced the harvest date by 1–4 days recording earliest harvest, with leaf fruit ratio 50:1 plus girdling half the bark. Overall, leaf fruit ratios of 40:1 combined with girdling half the bark and leaf fruit ratios of 50:1 combined with girdling half the bark were determined to be acceptable for producing high-quality Silver King nectarine.