What are the latest methods for protecting flowers and fruits in navel oranges?

Navel orange is a seedless variety; it produces a large number of flowers, but also drops many flowers and fruits, so flower and fruit protection measures must be well carried out when growing navel oranges. Carrying out flower and fruit protection in navel oranges is the key to achieving a high yield in navel orange production. Below, follow the editor to take a look at the flower and fruit protection measures for navel oranges.

1. Timely pruning and bud removal

After the plants bud in spring, they should be thinned and pruned in time, removing the winter shoots at the top, water sprouts, diseased and pest-infested branches, and aged branches, and also pruning off deformed flowers and leafless spherical flowers. If the autumn shoots grow too long, their length should be controlled, keeping only 3-6 flowers and removing the rest. All the spring shoots that grow too densely on the top and outer parts of the canopy, or the short and weak spring shoots, should be completely removed; overly long spring shoots should be cut short or pinched, and the late spring shoots, summer shoots, and early autumn shoots should all be pruned off.

2. Reasonable fertilization

Spring is the flowering and fruiting period of navel oranges, and also the growth period of spring shoots. At this time, nutrient consumption is excessive. To avoid poor growth caused by insufficient nutrients in the plants, topdressing should be applied in time to supplement nutrients. Topdressing should be determined by tree age, tree vigor, soil, and the amount of flowers and fruits, so as to effectively protect flowers and fruits, promote fruit expansion, and increase yield. Generally, fertilization is needed 2 times. The first is in February, applying flower-strengthening fertilizer; each tree can be given 400-500 grams of urea, 300-400 grams of compound fertilizer, and 50-100 kg of thin manure water. The second is in March, applying fruit-stabilizing fertilizer; each tree gets 400-500 grams of compound fertilizer, and for trees with weaker vigor and a larger flower load, some urea can be added.

3. Spraying hormones

During planting and production, many fruit growers prevent and control flower and fruit drop by spraying agents and hormones, with good results. During the flowering period, a mixed solution of borax, urea, and monopotassium phosphate can be sprayed; after the flowers fade and until the young fruit stage, anti-drop agent plus urea and monopotassium phosphate solution can be sprayed, 2 times in a row, once every 10-12 days. After the spring shoots turn green, urea and compound fertilizer solution can be sprayed multiple times along with pest control, which can quickly supplement nutrients and improve the fruit-setting rate.

4. Girdling

If none of the above methods can suppress excessive vegetative growth, the girdling method can be used. This can prevent nutrients from being transported downward, retaining nutrients to improve the fruit-setting rate. The targets for girdling are mainly orchards with strong tree vigor, fewer flowers, and little light. During full bloom, use a knife to make a ring cut around the smooth part of the trunk, cutting through the phloem of the plant, but not damaging the xylem. After girdling, wound care should be done well to prevent pathogens from invading and causing the plant to become diseased.

The above is an introduction to the flower and fruit protection methods for navel oranges. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please keep following us.