EFFECTS OF PRODUCTION AND FRUIT THINNING ON THE OFF-SEASON PRODUCTIONOF MURCOTT TANGOR

This work aimed to verify the effects of production intensity of 'Murc ott' tangor fruits in the past harvest and of the production year thin ning in the off-season production. This experiment was conducted at th e citrus orchard of Escola Superior de Agricultura de Lavras (ESAL), i n Lavras, MG, Brazil, with nine year-old plants on Rangpur lime rootst ock. A completly randomized experimental design 2 x 2 factorial scheme with eight replications were used. Plants with or without 90/91 produ ction were studied. The thinning of 91/92 production was realized in O ctober. Effects of the past harvest, of fruit thinning of currently cr op and its interaction in the off-season production were observed. As lower was the production in the past year provocated by alternate bear ing or by thinning, as greater was the off-season production. The majo r average of season production was 232 fruits per plant.