DELAYED HARVEST EFFECTS ON YIELD, FRUIT SIZE AND STARCH CYCLING IN AVOCADO (PERSEA-AMERICANA MILL) IN SUBTROPICAL ENVIRONMENTS .1. THE EARLY-MATURING CV FUERTE

Effects of delayed harvest were investigated in 'Fuerte' avocado over six consecutive seasons at Childers, S.E. Queensland, a warm subtropic al environment conducive to high mean yields exceeding 20 t ha(-1). Ea rly harvesting of fruit at 21 and 24% flesh dry matter (DM) resulted i n highest cumulative and average yield (21.5 t ha(-1) year(-1)). A har vest delay of ca. 2 months, until flesh DM reached 30%, reduced averag e annual yield by 26% and initiated an alternate bearing cycle. Early harvest of half the crop and late harvest of the remainder did not sig nificantly reduce yield. Wood starch concentrations from trunks and be aring shoots fluctuated seasonally but could not be related to harvest treatment. Harvesting late led to significantly larger fruit in three of the six seasons.