FRUIT-REMOVAL TIME INFLUENCES RETURN BLOOM IN PECAN

The optimum time for removing pecans [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K . Koch] to enhance return bloom was determined. Fruit were removed fro m part of 'Mohawk', 'Giles', and 'Gormely' trees rive times during the season as determined by fruit phenological age: immediately after pos tpollination drop, at 50% ovule expansion, at 100% ovule expansion or water stage, during the onset of dough stage, and 2 weeks after dough stage. Return bloom of all cultivars was increased by fruit removal du ring ovule expansion. Removing 'Mohawk' and 'Giles' fruit shortly afte r pollination induced the greatest return bloom. Return bloom in the s mall-fruited 'Gormely' was equally stimulated by fruit removal at any time during ovule expansion, a result indicating that early fruit remo val may be more important for large- than for small-fruited cultivars. If a commercially feasible method to thin pecans is developed, our st udies indicate that the optimum time for fruit thinning would be durin g ovule expansion.