Relationship between rind roughness and gibberellins in satsuma mandarin fruit

Satsuma mandarin fruit (Citrus unshiu Marc.), treated with gibberellic acid (GA(3)) and benzyl-adenine (BA) in late June, resulted in a significantly rough rind at harvest, whereas the mid-July treatment did not. Hence, earli er and higher concentrations of GA(3) had a greater effect on causing rough rind and subsequent fruit growth than the late, low concentrations. Applic ation of GA(3) in early July to a part of the fruit caused a rough rind onl y where the growth regulator was applied. Dwarf rice assay of the rind of u pward fruit in late June, which bears the rough surface, revealed that the GA content was significantly higher than the rind of sideward fruit which i s smooth. However, no significant difference in GA contents existed in the rind between upward and sideward fruit in mid-July and early August.