What methods are there to promote the maturation of citrus autumn shoots?

The autumn shoots of citrus are the fruiting mother branches. Robust and uniform autumn shoots are what every fruit grower hopes for. Good autumn shoots can not only reduce and overcome the biennial bearing phenomenon, but also ensure high and stable yields. However, in the production process, fruit grower friends often encounter situations where citrus shoots emerge slowly, emerge unevenly, or even fail to emerge. So what are the reasons why autumn shoots fail to emerge? How should they be addressed? Let's take a look together.

I. Reasons why citrus autumn shoots fail to emerge

1. Summer shoots have not yet matured, delaying autumn shoot sprouting

Summer shoots grow vigorously and are prone to sprouting and excessive vegetative growth, producing dominant branches. Summer shoots mature slowly, which will certainly affect the sprouting of autumn shoots.

2. Insufficient nutrition

Shoots and roots are closely connected. Due to drought and waterlogging, orchards may experience soil compaction and poor aeration, leading to weak tree vigor and hindered root growth, which makes shoot sprouting difficult. Improper fertilization can easily cause fertilizer damage, and the roots cannot effectively absorb nutrients, thus preventing autumn shoots from sprouting. In addition, severe pests and diseases and weakened tree vigor can also affect autumn shoot sprouting. Excessive fruit load leads to more fruit and fewer leaves, which can also prevent autumn shoots from emerging.

II. Scientifically promoting shoots

1. Summer shoots have not yet matured

For this phenomenon, methods such as topping, branch stripping, shortening, and fertilization should be used to promote the maturation of summer shoots and timely sprouting of autumn shoots. Topping is done on moderately vigorous summer shoots to weaken growth vigor and accelerate maturation. Branch stripping is done on vigorously growing summer shoots, wiping from the base toward the shoot tip to remove the young leaves and terminal buds of summer shoots, which is beneficial for sprouting autumn shoots. Shortening is done on weaker summer shoots by cutting back or wiping them out. For treated summer shoots that have not yet matured and for plants with small fruit, foliar fertilizer can be appropriately sprayed to accelerate the aging of summer shoots.

2. Weak tree vigor and heavy fruit load

For plants with excessive fruit set and severe pest and disease damage, identify the cause and carry out timely control, remove excess fruit, and promptly thin out top fruit, deformed fruit, pest- and disease-damaged fruit, small and weak fruit, and other fruit of low economic value to reduce the burden on the tree.

3. Summer pruning

Summer pruning is generally carried out from June to July. The degree of pruning is determined according to tree age, tree vigor, and the fruit load of the year. At the same time, ineffective branches such as crossing branches, weak branches, pest- and disease-damaged branches, and drooping branches should be cut off, and this can be done together with fruit thinning.

  The above is an introduction on how to promote the maturation of citrus autumn shoots. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.