Two mist systems, one in a mature orchard and the other in a young hedgerow, delayed bloom 15 days for ‘Bartlett’ and 8 days for ‘Bosc’ pear (Pyrus communis L.), while a low pressure sprinkler system delayed bloom for 14 days for ‘Bartlett’ and 8 days for ‘Bosc’ in 1976. Bloom delay generally increased fruit set and seed content of the fruit. Return bloom was greatly reduced in the mature orchard ‘Bartlett’ mist and ‘Bosc’ sprinkler plots in 1976 and, in turn, cropping was reduced the following year on these plots. Yield during treatment years was generally lower in the delayed areas. Fruit growth rates were accelerated in the bloom-delayed trees, but total fruit volume was less than the non-delayed fruit. Leaf nitrogen levels were reduced in all bud delayed treatments. Pear psylla oviposition was delayed in the mist system. Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winslow et al., absent in 1975, was found in the misted ‘Bosc’ and in the sprinkled plots of both cultivars in 1976.
Mature orchard misting and sprinkling and young hedgerow misting for bloom delay of pear (Pyrus communis L.) reduced fruit sizes of ‘Bartlett’ 6% and of ‘Bosc’ 12%. Harvest maturity, indicated by fruit pressure testing, was delayed 0 to 6 days for ‘Bartlett’ and 2 to 7 days for ‘Bosc’. The effect of bloom delay on fruit size and maturity was greater on ‘Bosc’ than ‘Bartlett’. Bloom delay had a greater effect on fruit sizing at harvest (3.5 days for every 6 days of bloom delay) than on harvest maturity (1 day for every 6 days delay). Soluble solids, not affected in pears from the mature plots, were slightly lower in the misted hedgerow. Titratable acids were not influenced by bloom delay.
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