Developments in the chemical thinning of apple and pear

A literature review is presented on past and present experienceswith chemical flower and fruit thinning of apple and pear, amplifiedwith some data of recent trials with known and new flower thinners(mainly ethephon and ammonium thiosulphate) and fruit thinners (mainly1-napthylacetic acid (NAA), its amide (NAAm), carbaryl, ethephon,conjugates of NAA and NAAm and benzyladenine). Chemical-thinningpractices give quite unpredictable results. This inconsistency is atleast partly caused by weather factors, such as temperature and airhumidity, but tree factors are also involved. To solve this problem,climate-room and multi-site trials are proposed, together with anintergrated approach in elucidating background mechanisms and thedevelopment of new fruit thinning compounds.     

lower-bud formation in pome fruits as affected by fruit thinning

Fruit thinning is commonly practiced in many fruit bearing woodyperennials to improve fruit quality and to prevent biennial bearing, thesevere alternation of fruit load in successive on and off years. Biennialbearing has its origin in the negative effect of the presence of fruits onflower production (return bloom), and, thus, the yield for next year. Forreasons of labour cost, fruit thinning is usually done by using chemicalcompounds such as ethephon and ammonium thiosulphate at the blossomingstage, and for fruit thinning NAA, NAAm, carbaryl, and a few cytokinins.Apart from indirect effects of the various chemicals on return bloom viareduction of fruit load, they may also influence flower formation directly.In view of the supposedly negative relationship between flowering andshoot growth, chemical thinners may even affect bloom via interference withthe vegetative development of the tree. In the present paper, in additionto a short discussion of the essentials of the flower-formation process inpome fruits, the effect of a number of chemical thinners on flower formationis reviewed. It is argued that in most experimental studies the data on theeffect of thinning on return bloom is insufficiently detailed, and a betterunderstanding especially of the early phases of the flower-formationprocess is badly needed.     

Regulation of source: sink relationship,fruit set,fruit growth and fruit quality in European plum (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus domestica</Emphasis> L.)—using thinning for crop load management

Demand for large fruit of uniform size is increasing in the market; thinning is a means to achieve consistently large fruit and to overcome possible alternate (biennial) bearing for the small-fruited European plum (Prunus domestica L.). However, chemical thinning agents for stone fruits are scarce and/or often ineffective. Hence, the objective of this work was to study possibilities of enhancing fruit growth and to improve fruit quality, viz size using plum as a model crop. Nine-year-old ‘Ortenauer’ plum trees, trained to spindles, with maximum flowering intensity (score value 9) near Bonn, Germany were mechanically, chemically or hand-thinned. Un-thinned plum trees in the same rows served as control. Trees were either mechanically thinned at full bloom on 20 April 2009 with a rotor speed of either 300, 400 or 500 rpm, and half of those trees additionally treated with ATS (15 L/ha) and an ethylene releasing compound 35 days after full bloom or manually thinned. The objective of 1/3 flower removal was successfully achieved even with the slowest rotor speed of 300 rpm. The number of fruit per branch was significantly reduced from 152 to 67–76, equivalent to a (source: sink) leaf: fruit ratio of 5:1. Mechanical thinning significantly enlarged fruit mass from 28 g in the un-thinned control to 30–32 g with rotor speeds of 400 or 500 rpm. Additional chemical thinning with ATS and an ethylene-releasing compound resulted in no further increase in fruit mass. Inner fruit quality (sugar) of the plums appeared unaffected by either mechanical or chemical thinning, except for fruit firmness: Plums thinned with an ethylene releasing compound were softer and ripened earlier than respective control fruit. The most efficient method of flower removal and fruit mass enlargement was mechanical blossom thinning with 400 rpm, which may provide a suitable replacement for chemical and/or manual thinning. Alternatively, the mechanical thinning can be combined with either of those options. Mechanical blossom thinning was as effective to overcome or avoid alternate/biennial bearing as the ethylene releasing compound in the previous year. The results are discussed with respect to stone fruit being more difficult to thin than pome fruit, because the former do not exhibit leaves at the time of blossom thinning. Stone fruits develop within a shorter time and a larger number of (smaller) leaves (source) are required for the same fruit growth and final fruit size (sink). A lower threshold of fruit removal has to be exceeded before the remaining stone fruit grow faster and final fruit mass and sugar (and possibly fruit firmness) increase, while acidity remains unaffected by fruit set. An upper saturation threshold is reached fairly quickly without further effects.     

疏花对富士苹果光合同化物分配的外部调节和生理表现

在盛花期,利用对树冠不同部位疏除花序的试验。对富士苹果树体内同化物的调配及其生理表现进行了研究。结果表明,苹果平均单果重和平均单果叶面积之间关系呈线性正相关。该相关关系在不同处理之间无差异（r=0.91),充分说明在苹果树体内存在一个可自由流动的碳水化合物库或者说树体对结果具有光合调节作用,疏花可以从外部调节光合同化物分配的方向。对每株苹果树未结果部位和结果部位短枝及延长枝叶片净光合速率测定表明。结果和未结果部位光合速率没有显著差异。虽然疏花没有显著影响苹果单株枝条生长量和叶面积,但是,苹果树树冠全部疏除花序的一侧 或主枝的平均枝条生长量和叶面积去比该树其它结果部位分别平均高出153.5cm和8900cm^2,差异极为显著。苹果树疏除花序1/2或3/4的数量使苹果平均单果重比不疏花分别显著增加了33g或79g。而果实钙浓度每百克鲜重分别降低了1.62mg或2.66mg,充分说明当疏花显著地影响果实大小时,果实内钙浓度也会明显地发生相应的变化,虽然在疏花处理之间不同部位疏除花序没有影响单株花芽总数量,但是,每株树前一年春季疏花的部位比未疏花,结果的部位极显著地增加了花芽数量（SED=11.6)。     

间伐强度对黄桥林区辽东栎生殖构件的影响

为了阐明抚育间伐强度对辽东栎生殖构件的影响,以黄土高原南部黄龙和桥山林区辽东栎中龄林为研究对象,对不同间伐强度(对照、10%、20%、30%)下近自然经营抚育间伐5年后的辽东栎平均单株个体大小、生殖构件产量、比率及空间分布格局特征等进行研究.结果表明: 间伐强度对辽东栎林分平均树高、胸径影响不显著,而与冠幅面积、冠幅体积呈显著正相关;辽东栎标准株的生殖枝、幼果、成熟果实产量随间伐强度的增大而增大,而营养枝、雄花序、雄花、雌花的产量变化不大.当间伐强度达到20%时,生殖枝、幼果、成熟果实产量显著提高,30%间伐下达到最大.生殖枝比例和座果率随间伐强度增大而增大,在20%、30%间伐强度时与对照的差异达到显著水平.约3/4的生殖枝、雌花、雄花集中分布于树冠上层,1/4分布于下层;树冠阳面生殖构件数量占65%,树冠阴面占35%.树冠下层、阴面生殖枝、雌花、雄花序的空间分布比例随着间伐强度的增大而增大;树冠上层、阳面生殖枝、雌花、雄花序分布比例随间伐强度的增大呈递减趋势.因此,选择30%间伐强度(保留郁闭度0.6)最佳,可以大幅提高辽东栎的座果率和成熟率,有效提高结实量和品质,为辽东栎林的采种及天然更新提供保证.     

胡桃楸个体有性生殖过程研究

胡桃楸是东北东部山地阔叶红松林的重要组成树种。以胡桃楸个体有性生殖过程为研究对象,通过定株定枝调查,研究了胡桃楸芽种群分化、物候及散粉规律、颗粒生长发育过程及环境影响因子。结果表明：１．胡桃楸壮龄树芽种群分化简单。２．胡桃楸个体间花期物候差异很大,并具有典型的雌雄异熟现象。３．胡桃幼果期生长速度快,生长分化现象严重,疏果率高;进入果实生长后期之后,生长速度及疏果率均显著降低。     

Abscission and thinning of young fruit and thier regulation by plant hormones and bioregulators

Natural abscission of young fruit and its regulation by plant hormones isconsidered and compared to the generally accepted model of senescencetriggered abscission of, for example, leaves or mature fruit. It isconcluded that abscission of young fruit cannot be explained by this model.Alternatively, it is suggested that the senescence triggered initial step inthe classical abscission model should be replaced by a correlativelytriggered step. Polar basipetal IAA transport with its autostimulation andautoinhibition components is the main regulating signal in this correlativeacting system and replaces ethylene as the initial driving force from thesenescence triggered model.Results supporting this model are presented and tested against existingresults from the literature. Finally, this hypothesis is tested as a possibleexplanation of the mode of action of some thinning chemicals orbioregulators. It is speculated how a thinning chemical should be designedto function in a more reliable way, at least as far as its interference with the endogenous hormone system is concerned.     

间伐强度对马尾松人工林间伐初期林下植被群落物种组成和多样性的影响

以川东低山区29年生马尾松人工林为对象,研究了不同间伐强度(0、10%、20%、30%、40%、50%)处理1年后林下植被群落物种组成与多样性分异特征初期响应。结果表明: 各间伐处理均能降低草本植物芒、芒萁的优势地位,而各处理灌木的优势物种组成较复杂,中等间伐强度(20%、30%、40%)处理泛化种较其他处理明显增多。各多样性指数随间伐强度增高呈现先增后降的变化趋势,草本植物较灌木的分异性更强,且各指数与土壤含水量均呈显著正相关。间伐强度与土壤理化性质对群落分异解释量为81%,中等间伐强度林下植被群落除全磷外与其他因子表现出正相关关系。间伐初期草本植物群落较灌木群落更能积极响应干扰;40%间伐强度处理与土壤环境因子关系紧密,群落稳定性高,物种最为丰富,为本试验条件下间伐措施的最佳处理。     

The use of benzyladenine in orchard fruit growing: a mini review.

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) can be well integrated into orchard production systems. Benzyladenine (BA) can be considered to be an endogenous-like compound which provides very little risk to the environment. A precondition of precocious bearing in young trees is the development of a canopy structure which has good cropping potential and this can be achieved by using BA. Fruit thinning with BA in mature trees can result in larger fruit size and increased return bloom the following year. However, the temperature dependence of the thinning response remains a problem to be resolved. The efficiency of PGRs is determined by the physiological age of trees, by the environmental conditions at application and by the application methods used.     

间伐对杉木人工林碳储量的长期影响

间伐改变了林分环境,影响林木生长及碳储量,准确评估间伐后人工林碳储量变化对碳汇林业的发展具有重要意义.在浙江开化采用下层间伐法,开展了3种间伐处理(对照、中度和强度间伐)对22年生杉木人工林碳储量及其组分分配影响的研究.强度间伐(总间伐强度50%)和中度间伐(总间伐强度35%)均在第7年和第14年进行共计2次间伐,对照在林木生长中期(第14年)进行1次轻度间伐(间伐强度15%).结果表明： 树干碳储量的比例随间伐强度增大而增加,树枝、叶和根碳储量的比例则略有降低,表明间伐有利于树干碳储量的累积.中度和强度间伐处理杉木人工林乔木层碳储量随间伐强度增加而减小,碳储量分别为对照的89.0%和83.1%.第1次间伐后2 a乔木层碳储量显著减少,第2次间伐后8 a,间伐处理乔木层碳储量恢复速率较快,强度间伐乔木层碳储量增量接近对照.林下植被层、凋落物层和土壤层碳储量在不同间伐处理间差异不显著.对照、中度和强度间伐杉木人工林系统总碳储量分别为169.34、156.65和154.37 t·hm^-2,不同间伐处理间差异不显著.可见,试验区杉木人工林间伐15 a后不会导致生态系统总碳储量降低.     

Significance of flower and fruit thinning on fruit quality

The effects of mechanical or chemical flower and fruit thinning on fruitquality were primarily by altering crop load. However, there were alsodirect effects of thinning agents. Fruit size was directly related tothinning intensity. In addition to crop load, age of wood, flower budquality, competition within clusters and canopy were important factorsaffecting the response to thinning. Short- and long-term thinningstudies identified two groups of quality components: Group 1characteristics include size, colour, skin performance, firmness andsugar and acid content of the fruit. Group 2 characteristics wererepresented by inorganic components, especially calcium and potassiumwhich are implicated in the susceptibility of fruit to physiologicaldisorders. While group 1 characteristics were improved by increasingthinning intensity, storability of the fruit was better at high than atlow crop loads. Therefore, a compromise between all quality requirementsmust be found for a good economic return. Establishing the trends ofthinning on the different quality parameters can help to select athinning strategy for local or regional conditions typically beingdetermined by growing and market conditions.     

纯林自然稀疏研究综述

自然稀疏是林分内的个体由于部分有限的资源而引起的一部分个体死亡的现象。评述40a来世界上有关纯林自然稀疏的研究内容,包括了自然稀疏法则,异速生长模型、平均个体重与密度的时间轨线,种的自然稀疏线和自然稀疏动力线的关系,自然稀疏线的斜率与生物量的生物量的关系,自然稀疏的机理。     

间伐强度对阿尔泰山天然林下植被的影响

以阿尔泰山天然林为研究对象,探究不同间伐强度（19%、33%、55%、62%）对林下植被的影响,为该区天然林的经营管理提供理论依据。运用样地调查法,对间伐30 a后的林木进行每木检尺,调查林下植被结构、物种多样性,对测定数据进行单因素方差分析和LSD多重比较检验。结果表明：（1）草本层物种丰富度随间伐强度的增大而增大,62%间伐强度显著大于其他处理;灌木层物种丰富度随间伐强度的增大呈先增后减的趋势,55%间伐强度最大（P>0.05）;不同间伐强度处理之间,林下植被的Simpson指数、Shannon-Wiener指数和Pielou均匀度指数均无显著差异（P>0.05）,草本植物优势种各间伐强度之间大致相同;（2）适当增加间伐强度可以明显提高灌木层和草本层密度,以55%间伐强度为优（P<0.05）,林下植被的盖度随着间伐强度的增大先增后减,间伐显著影响灌木植物盖度,而对草本层盖度则影响不显著（P>0.05）。以上研究表明从恢复林地多样性的角度考虑,间伐强度选取55%更合理。     

Use of hydrogen cyanamide for apple and plum thinning

Effects of various concentrations of Dormex (a.i. 49% hydrogen cyanamide) on fruit thinning of Rome Beauty apple (Malus domestica Borkh.), Friar and Simka plums (Prunus salicina Lindley) were studied. A full bloom application of Dormex at all tested concentrations decreased Rome Beauty apple fruit set and yield, and increased fruit weight. Dormex at 0.25% (v/v) resulted in adequate apple thinning, indicated by production of an optimum fruit weight (320 g). Prebloom and full bloom applications of Dormex at greater than 0.75% reduced plum fruit set and yield in Friar. Full bloom application of Dormex at 0.50% showed a satisfactory fruit set, yield, and fruit weight in Friar plum. Prebloom Dormex application had no significant effect on `Simka' plum fruit set or yield, but full bloom application decreased fruit set and yield.     

Mechanical Restoration of California Mixed‐Conifer Forests: Does it Matter Which Trees Are Cut?

The montane ecosystems of northern California have been subjected to repeated manipulation and active fire suppression for over a century, resulting in changes in community structure that contribute to increased wildfire hazard. Ecosystem restoration via reduction of stand density for wildfire hazard mitigation has received substantial attention in recent years; however, many ecological questions remain unanswered. This study compares belowground effects of two alternative forest thinning treatments designed to restore the large, old tree component of late‐seral structure, one of which focuses on restoring Pinus ponderosa dominance (Pine‐preference) and the other of which promotes development of large trees regardless of species (Size‐preference). We evaluated forest floor and soil chemical and microbial parameters in six experimental thinning treatment units of 40 ha each in the Klamath National Forest of northern California 5–6 years after thinning. Inorganic N availability, soil organic C content, phenol oxidase activity, and forest floor C:N ratio were greater in the Size‐preference treatment, whereas forest floor N and soil pH were greater in the Pine‐preference treatment. Our results indicate that these two thinning strategies produce differences in the soil environment that has the potential to affect growth rates of trees that remain, as well as the growth and survivorship of newly established seedlings. Thus, which species/individuals are removed during structural restoration of these mixed‐conifer forests matters both to the belowground components of the ecosystem today and the vegetation and productivity of the ecosystem in future decades.     

抚育间伐对侧柏人工林及林下植被生长的影响

抚育间伐是森林经营管理措施之一,是对森林生态系统的人为干扰。研究不同抚育方式、强度和频率对森林生态系统的干扰对重建、恢复森林生态系统固有功能及实现森林可持续经营管理有重要意义。以31块北京地区侧柏人工林样地对不同抚育强度后侧柏林生长、林下植被生长及林下植物多样性变化进行了研究。研究结果表明:侧柏林分经不同强度抚育后单木胸径、树高、冠幅和林分蓄积生长均增加,不同抚育强度下单木胸径、树高、冠幅生长量和林分蓄积生长量与立地条件有关,好的立地条件宜采取强度抚育,较差立地条件宜采取中弱度抚育;侧柏林分经弱度、中度抚育后林下植物种类增加,经强度抚育后减少;不同强度抚育后林下植物Simpson多样性指数和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数随时间增大,后者对抚育强度更为敏感;林下灌草生物量随抚育强度增大而增加,并随时间增加;侧柏人工林生态系统种间竞争程度与立地条件有关,好的立地条件能够经受较强的人为干扰,差的立地条件受弱度干扰就会打破种间生长平衡。     

Stochastic frontier analysis of a classic self‐thinning experiment

Abstract The classic experiment that gave rise to the self‐thinning rule 40 years ago was re‐analysed using stochastic frontier functions. The estimated slope of the self‐thinning boundary line was almost identical to the original proposed value. However, contrary to the original conclusion that the self‐thinning boundary line remained invariant across the soil fertility gradient, the intercept was found to increase with soil fertility. Stochastic frontier analysis also provided a more realistic estimate of the maximum asymptotic stand density than the original work, by separating the effects of density‐dependent and density‐independent mortalities during self‐thinning in a composed error term in the model specification. The time‐course of self‐thinning across the soil fertility gradient was described by a non‐linear function, which enabled the estimation of a minimum possible stand density that could still maintain full site occupancy (i.e. the maximum asymptotic stand density at the end of self‐thinning). The maximum asymptotic stand density decreased more rapidly on more fertile soils and the difference in maximum asymptotic stand density among the five levels of soil fertility increased non‐linearly with time. Site carrying capacity was defined as stand biomass shown by the point on the self‐thinning boundary line at the end of self‐thinning. This definition led to a direct functional link between the self‐thinning boundary line and site carrying capacity for even‐aged plant populations.     

不同间伐强度的杉木林生长比较试验

对11年生同一坡面杉木林分设立不间伐（CK）和间伐强度30%、45%、60%四个处理,调查不同间伐强度的林木树高、胸径、材积生长状况。试验表明,间伐6年后实施间伐的林分单株树高、胸径、材积的增长量分别比对照高出5.7%～37.1%、12.5%～112.5%和15.0%～129.8%;其中,间伐强度60%林分树高、胸径的增长最为显著,其次为45%间伐强度。但林分总蓄积量增加最多的是对照小区。间伐强度对培育不同径阶的杉木材有重要影响。     

Restoration of Old Forest Features in Coast Redwood Forests Using Early‐stage Variable‐density Thinning

To accelerate development of old forest features in coast redwood, two thinning treatments and an unthinned control were compared in three treatment areas in north coastal California. One thinning treatment was designed to restore old forest densities of 125 trees/ha and the other 250 trees/ha representing a one‐step and partial treatments to the desired stand density. Four years after treatment, numbers of trees had increased in the thinning treatments due to recruitment of new trees, but had decreased in the control due to self‐thinning. Residual trees increased in stem volume following thinning by 128% in low‐density thinning compared to 70% in the controls indicating thinning accelerated stand development. The thinning treatments also moved the species composition of these stands to a greater proportion of redwood. Considerable slash was produced by the thinning treatments but was decomposing rapidly. Black bears damaged approximately 15% of all trees and more than 38% of residual trees in the thinned treatments compared to less than 2% of all trees in the control. This damage included killing some trees and damaging other trees that survived. Decisions over restoration densities in these stands are complicated by prolonged stand development, and balancing risks and costs. In this case, the bears represent a stochastic factor that dramatically increases risk. Thinning appears to be an effective means of enhancing old forest development by accelerating tree growth, modifying species composition, and increasing stand‐level variability. Continued monitoring will be necessary to evaluate long‐term trends in density relative to effects of bear damage.     

Radial and stand‐level thinning treatments: 15‐year growth response of legacy ponderosa and Jeffrey pine trees

Restoration efforts to improve vigor of large, old trees and decrease risk to high‐intensity wildland fire and drought‐mediated insect mortality often include reductions in stand density. We examined 15‐year growth response of old ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) trees in northeastern California, U.S.A. to two levels of thinning treatments compared to an untreated (control) area. Density reductions involved radial thinning (thinning 9.1 m around individual trees) and stand thinning. Annual tree growth in the stand thinning increased immediately following treatment and was sustained over the 15 years. In contrast, radial thinning did not increase growth, but slowed decline compared to control trees. Available soil moisture was higher in the stand thinning than the control for 5 years post‐treatment and likely extended seasonal tree growth. Our results show that large, old trees can respond to restoration thinning treatments, but that the level of thinning impacts this response. Stand thinning must be sufficiently intensive to improve old tree growth and health, in part due to increasing available soil moisture. Importantly, focusing stand density reductions around the immediate neighborhood of legacy trees was insufficient to elicit a growth response, calling into question treatments attempting to increase vigor of legacy trees while still maintaining closed canopies in dry, coniferous forest types. Although radial thinning did not affect tree growth rates, this treatment may still achieve other resource objectives not studied here, such as protecting wildlife habitat, reducing the risk of severe fire injury, and decreasing susceptibility to bark beetle attacks.