Effect of Chemical Loosening agents on Harvesting Efficiency and Fruit Quality of Olive Trees

Salama, Amro Salama Mohamed

doi:10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2023.286072

Effect of Chemical Loosening agents on Harvesting Efficiency and Fruit Quality of Olive Trees

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Amro Salama Mohamed Salama

Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2023.286072

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons on tenyear old "Dolce" olive trees grown at private orchard, at Siwa oasis, Marsa Matrouh governorate, Egypt. The aim of this study is evaluating the effect of methionine, ethephon and thiourea as assistant treatments to hand vibration harvest and their effects on leaf (drop and total chlorophyll content) and fruit quality as well as their effect on the next flowering of "Dolce" olive trees. Trees were sprayed, two weeks prior to harvest date with one of the following solutions: (1) control (tap water), (2) methionine at 1000 or 2000 ppm, (3) ethephon at 2000 or 3000 ppm, (4) thiourea at 1000 or 2000 ppm. Control trees recorded the highest fruit detachmentforce, the highest percentage of hand- picked fruits and the least shed leaves per tree. Ethephon, thiourea and methionine treatments reduced fruit detachment force and supported hand vibration harvest, but increased leaf drop over control trees. All tested treatments gave the highest positive effect on fruit anthocyanin and carotene content as compared with the control. Moreover, perfect flowers and fruit set percentages in the following year responded positively to all treatments, meanwhile, ethephon treatment at 3000 ppm proved to be the most efficient treatments in this concern. Methionine succeeded in enhancing harvesting efficiency percentage and improved fruit color, while it resulted in the lowest effect on fruit removal force, hand- picked fruits percentage and total leaf drop compared to ethephon and thiourea.

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