A method for assessing the relationship between cropload and crop value following fruit thinning

Analysis of apple (Malus x domestica Borkh,) and citrus thinning experiment s indicates that the relationships between cropload, fruit size, and total yield can be used to assess optimal cropload for highest crop value. Mean f ruit size increased and total yield declined as the cropload (number of fru it/cm(2) trunk cross-sectional area) was reduced through the use of chemica l thinners, Because crop value is influenced by fruit size and total yield, intermediate croploads gave the highest economic returns in all experiment s evaluated, For 'Empire' apple, croploads greater than those expected to p rovide good return bloom often produced the highest crop value for a single year. In citrus, optimal crop values resulted from a broad range of interm ediate croploads, A method is described to analyze optimum cropload from th inning experiments.