EFFICACY OF CHEMICAL AGENTS IN REDUCING FRUIT SET OF ‘LETICIA’ JAPANESE PLUMS

Looking for improving ‘Leticia’ Japanese plums fruit quality and size, thinning of flowers and fruits have to be done early in the spring. Although, there are very few studies showing the effectiveness of chemical compounds that effectively promote thinning of stone fruits, especially for the Southern Brazilian conditions. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of several agents with potential to promote thinning at blooming or post blooming in ‘Leticia’ Japanese plums. To do so, in the cropping season of 2014/2015 the treatments abscisic acid, benzyladenine, benzyladenine + gibberellic acid4+7, ethephon, metamitron, vegetal oil, and calcium chloride were sprayed in ‘Leticia’ plums looking for evaluating the effects on the fruit set. The treatments ABA, benzyladenine, metamitron, benzyladenine + gibberellic acid4+7, calcium chloride, and vegetal oil are effective to reduce fruit set of ‘Leticia’ plums in Southern Brazil.