The Latest Large-Fruit Loquat Cultivation and Planting Techniques: Methods and Tutorial

Large-fruit loquat refers to excellent loquat varieties with a single fruit weight of 40—50 grams or more, attractive fruit, and high commercial value. Currently promoted and planted excellent varieties include: Zaozhong No. 6, Dawuxing, Jiefangzhong, and others. Loquat is a specialty fruit of southern China, and the fresh fruit is nutritious. According to analysis: every 100 grams of flesh contains: 7 grams of carbohydrates, 0.8 grams of crude fiber, 0.4 grams of protein, 0.10 grams of fat, 22 milligrams of calcium, 32 milligrams of phosphorus, and 1.33 milligrams of carotene. The entire loquat plant is a “treasure”: the fruit has the effects of quenching thirst, reducing internal heat, strengthening the stomach, and clearing heat; the leaves have the effects of clearing the lungs, directing qi downward, harmonizing qi, and redirecting rebellious qi, and are mainly used to treat cough due to lung heat. The flowers can resolve phlegm and relieve cough…… and so on. It is an excellent fruit variety worth vigorously developing and planting.

Characteristics of Each Excellent Variety

1. Zaozhong No. 6 loquat: This variety was bred by crossing Jiefangzhong loquat as the female parent with the Moriwa Wase variety introduced from Japan, and is currently the earliest-maturing variety in China. This variety matures 20—30 days earlier than general early-maturing varieties, and has important economic value for bringing fruit to market early and supplying the market. This variety has a moderate tree vigor, semi-spreading habit, thick branches, long elliptical leaves, slightly outward-curled leaf margins, and deep, non-glossy leaf color. The fruit is ovate. When 4-5 fruits are retained per cluster, the average single fruit weight is 50.3 grams, with a maximum of 108 grams. The peel is orange, the fruit size is uniform, the peel is thick and easy to remove, the flesh is orange-red, the flesh thickness is 0.85 cm, the texture is relatively fine and dense, melts in the mouth, and the quality is excellent, being sweet with little acidity and having an aroma. Soluble solids are 10.5%, acid content is 0.32g/100g flesh, and sugar content is 10.25%. The edible rate is 70.1%. Each fruit contains 3-4 seeds. This variety has the characteristics of low incidence of spot disease, relatively strong stress resistance, low occurrence of fruit cracking, fruit wrinkling, and sunscald, and relatively good high-yield performance. It begins to bear fruit in the third year after planting, with average per-plant yield reaching more than 8.0 kg in the fourth year and more than 20 kg in the fifth year, making it an excellent variety worth developing.

2. Dawuxing loquat: “Dawuxing” loquat is a new high-quality large-fruit loquat variety selected and bred from seedlings. It once won the “Silver Award” at the “99 Kunming World Horticultural Exposition” and is called the “King of Loquat” by domestic peers. This variety has the following characteristics: Dawuxing loquat has a single fruit weight of about 80 grams, with a maximum of 194 grams; the peel is orange-red, the flavor is richly sweet, and the quality is excellent; soluble solids are 13.5-14.8%; the fruit has high firmness and strong peel toughness, is resistant to storage and transport, can be stored and transported for more than 10 days at room temperature, and can be stored for 2 months under frozen conditions. The edible rate is 75%. Its ripening period is about 1 month later than Zaozhong No. 6 loquat. Its comprehensive trait indicators far exceed those of Jiefangzhong and Zaozhong No. 6 loquat. It belongs to a late-maturing variety. It has practical significance for extending the market supply of fruit. Generally, it can trial-flower and bear fruit in the second year after planting; with proper management and sufficient fertilizer and water, per-plant fruit yield can reach 2-5 kg, and the yield increases year by year thereafter, reaching the full-bearing period after seven or eight years. Producers are advised to try planting it. Our department can provide pure seedlings.

3. Jiefangzhong loquat: This variety originated in Putian, Fujian. It has strong tree vigor, thick and spreading branches, a naturally round-headed crown, elliptical leaves, terminal flowers, and yellow-white flowers. The fruit is obovate, with an average single fruit weight of 60 grams and a maximum of 170 grams. When ripe, the peel is orange-red with a small amount of rust spots; the peel is thick and easy to peel; the flesh is orange-red, the texture is slightly coarse, juicy, and rich in flavor. When planted in the Guangzhou area, it blooms in November-December and matures in April-May of the following year. The fruit edible rate is 73%, soluble solids content is 10-12%, and the quality is above average. This variety has strong adaptability, begins to bear fruit in the third year after planting, and is relatively high-yielding and stable.

Biological Characteristics of Loquat

Loquat is easy to cultivate and does not have strict requirements for environmental conditions. It can be planted in areas where the annual average temperature is above 15°C and the winter temperature is not lower than -5°C. Loquat can sprout and grow throughout the four seasons of the year, and can sprout 4-5 times per year. The root system of loquat is not very developed, and growth stops above 30°C. Most loquat varieties can set fruit by self-pollination and do not need pollinizer trees. The flowering period of each flower cluster reaches 20-45 days, and the flowering period of a single loquat tree lasts 1.5-2 months. In production, this causes inconsistent fruit ripening periods, but it is beneficial for market regulation. The fruit-setting rate of loquat generally can reach more than 10-15%, and fruit thinning is needed. Alternate bearing is not obvious, and it is easy to achieve stable and high yields in cultivation. Loquat has a wide adaptability to soil and can grow in sandy soil, gravelly loam, or clay, among others. Among these, soil that is well-drained, deep, with surface soil slightly clayey gravelly soil, rich in organic matter, and with a pH of about 6 is most suitable for planting.

Key Points of Cultivation Techniques

1. For planting loquat, choose a plot with deep soil, rich organic matter, good drainage, and a low groundwater table. For flatland planting, water accumulation should be prevented, and deep furrows should be dug and high mounds built for cultivation.

2. Planting requirements

① Digging holes and applying base fertilizer: The size of the hole depends on the soil structure, but generally requires a length and width of 80 cm and a depth of 60 cm. Fill each hole with 10-15 kg of weeds or rice straw, 0.5-0.75 kg of lime, 1.0-1.5 kg of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer, 1 kg of compound fertilizer, and 20-30 kg of decomposed manure. Following the principle of coarse materials below and fine materials above, sprinkle lime powder on each layer of fertilizer, then cover with soil and mix as thoroughly as possible with the fertilizer. It is best to pile the topsoil into a mound 30 cm above the ground.

② Planting spacing: Plant spacing 3.0-3.5 m, row spacing 3.5-4.0 m, about 50-60 plants per mu.

③ Planting season: Bare-root seedlings (without nursery bags) are best planted in spring before loquat buds sprout. Because loquat leaves are large and water evaporation is also great, half or two-thirds of the leaves should be cut off at planting to reduce water evaporation and improve the survival rate. Loquat must be planted shallowly. After planting, immediately water thoroughly to settle the roots, and cover the tree disk with weeds. Bag seedlings (seedlings grown with nutrient soil) are best planted before Qingming; in warm winter areas, autumn planting (September-October) is also possible.

3. Fertilizer and water management: The amount, timing, and method of loquat fertilization should be determined according to biological characteristics, objectives, yield, fertilizer type, and soil fertility.

(1) Fertilization of young trees: The main goal is to promote tree growth, expand the canopy, and bring trees into production early. For young trees, apply fertilizer frequently and lightly, preferably maintaining no nutrient deficiency throughout the year. In principle, fertilize once every 3 months.

(2) Fertilization of mature fruiting trees: Mature fruiting trees are generally fertilized 3-4 times per year.

① The first time is between January and February. From after flower drop to the young fruit growth period, mainly potassium and phosphorus fertilizers.

② The second time is between May and June. Fertilize after fruit harvest, mainly to restore tree vigor and promote new shoot growth. The fertilizer amount should be large, accounting for about 50-60% of the annual fertilization amount. Apply both nitrogen fertilizer and organic fertilizer.

③ The third time is in August-September. Flower bud differentiation is basically complete, and fertilization is carried out when flower clusters begin. The purpose of this fertilization is to promote flower bud plumpness, enhance the cold resistance of flowers and young fruits, and provide nutrients for fruit enlargement.

4. Training and pruning

(1) Training: According to the growth characteristics of loquat, the central leader form or the open-center form is often used.

① The central leader form is formed by slightly pruning and adjusting on the basis of the natural growth condition of loquat. The trunk height is about 30-40 cm. Whorled branches growing every 40-60 cm on the trunk extension branch are used as main branches, with 3-4 main branches retained per layer, generally forming 3-4 layers. After 3-4 layers, the canopy can be formed.

② The open-center form is mostly used in sloped, windy areas. After the seedling is planted, retain 4-5 side branches at 40-60 cm above the ground and train them into main branches, extending in all directions and pulled to form an angle of 40-50 degrees with the trunk. In the second year, retain 3-4 sub-main branches at appropriate positions on the main branches, and cut off the top of the trunk to train an open-center form without a central leader.

(2) Pruning: Loquat pruning mainly involves removing overly dense branches, dead branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and water sprouts, so as to facilitate ventilation and light penetration, concentrate nutrients, and avoid the outward movement of fruiting positions.

① Bud thinning: For young trees and trees just beginning to bear fruit, in order to configure the main branches, secondary main branches, and side branches properly, buds with appropriate positions and directions should be selected and retained at the time of sprouting, and excess buds should be thinned out to cultivate strong main branches and side branches. For mature fruiting trees, bud thinning can reduce the number of secondary shoots and make fruiting branches plump. At the same time, bud thinning can also regulate the ratio of fruiting branches to vegetative branches and reduce the amplitude of alternate bearing. The time for bud thinning is at the early stage of sprouting of each flush, carried out in 2-3 sessions. The degree of bud thinning can be determined according to tree vigor, position, and branch type: retain more on strong trees and fewer on weak trees; retain more in sparse positions and fewer in dense positions.

② Pruning of overly dense branches: Loquat has strong branching ability, and often 3-5 side branches grow from one branch. Thin out the fine and weak dense branches, and retain 1-2 strong side branches.

③ Pruning of water sprouts: For those that disturb the tree shape, cut them off from the base. For those in appropriate positions, heavily short-cut them so that new branches emerge from the base and form fruiting branches.

④ Pruning of fruiting branches: After harvest, weak fruiting branches should be cut off from the base, while strong ones should be retained. Fruiting branches far from the main branches should be cut back, leaving about 10 cm at the base. After fruiting, fruiting branches continuously produce fruit-trace branches and form bamboo-joint-like fishing-rod branches, which should be renewed and rejuvenated in time to promote new shoots.

5. Flower and fruit thinning

Flower cluster thinning and fruit thinning are effective technical measures for enlarging loquat fruit and preventing alternate bearing.

(1) Flower cluster thinning: From early October to early November, when flower clusters are already obvious but have not yet opened, thin the flower clusters (in places with freezing damage, flower cluster thinning is not necessary). Usually, if a branch has 4 clusters, 1-2 clusters need to be thinned; if it has 5 clusters, 2 clusters need to be thinned. Large-fruit varieties should be thinned more appropriately. First thin flower clusters with few leaves and poor development or with pests and diseases, and follow the principles of removing outer ones and keeping inner ones, removing late ones and keeping early ones, removing weak ones and keeping strong ones, and thinning more on the upper part of the canopy.

(2) Bud thinning: Loquat has many flowers, and a large amount of nutrients is consumed during flowering. Bud thinning can save nutrients and is beneficial to fruit development and enlargement. There are the following 3 methods of bud thinning:

① Remove the upper half of the flower cluster.

② Remove the two basal stalklets and several top stalklets, retaining 3-4 stalklets in the middle.

③ Retain 2-3 stalklets; for small and medium-sized varieties, retain 3-5 stalklets per cluster.

(3) Fruit thinning: Loquat has a high fruit-setting rate. Even after flower cluster thinning, the problem of excessive fruit set still exists. Fruit thinning can significantly enlarge fruits, make fruit size uniform and ripening period consistent, and improve fruit quality and facilitate harvesting. Fruit thinning is generally carried out when young fruits are the size of broad beans. First remove part of the excessive fruit clusters, then thin the fruits cluster by cluster, removing diseased and pest-infested fruits, deformed fruits, small fruits, and overly dense fruits. For large-fruit varieties, retain 4-6 fruits per cluster; for medium-fruit varieties, retain 6-8 fruits per cluster.

6. Bagging

The purpose of bagging is to prevent rust spots on the fruit surface, prevent fruit cracking, sunscald, pests and diseases, and bird damage. Before bagging, first spray once, mixing fungicides and insecticides, and then thin out diseased and pest-infested fruits, deformed fruits, and excess fruits. Use old newspapers (coated with palm oil) or kraft paper for the bags. The bag size is about 17 cm × 20 cm, with ventilation openings left in the bag for ventilation and observation. When bagging, tie the upper part of the paper bag with rice straw or clamp it with staples, and make the bag bulge to prevent the paper bag from directly contacting the fruit surface.

Pests, Diseases, and Their Control

(1) Main diseases

1. Leaf spot diseases: Fungal diseases, including gray spot, spot disease, and angular leaf spot, three leaf diseases that mainly damage leaves, cause early defoliation, and also damage fruits, causing fruit rot. Control: The most fundamental measures are strengthening fertilizer and water management, timely drainage and drought resistance, doing a good job of winter orchard cleaning, removing fallen leaves, and reducing sources of disease. When disease occurs, spray 70% thiophanate-methyl 800 times or 65% zineb 500-600 times.

2. Anthracnose: A fungal disease that mainly damages loquat fruits, and secondly damages leaves and tender shoots. Control: Open furrows and drain water in the orchard in time, increase potassium fertilizer application, and improve disease resistance. Before fruit bagging, continuously spray 0.3-0.6% Bordeaux mixture or 50% carbendazim 1000 times liquid twice.

3. Trunk and branch rot: Commonly known as “foot rot disease.” It mainly damages the root crown and trunk, causing the death of the whole plant. Control: When establishing the orchard and planting, loquat trees should not be planted too densely, and the graft union should be exposed above the ground. When it occurs, scrape off the diseased spots cleanly, and apply Bordeaux mixture paste or 50 PPM gibberellin plus cow dung to the wound for protection.

4. Loquat crown gall disease: A bacterial disease. It mainly damages branches and trunks, and leaves, buds, and fruits can also be affected. Control: Timely dig out and burn diseased plants when found. When new shoots sprout, spray 0.6% equal-amount Bordeaux mixture for protection.

5. Leaf tip scorch disease: A physiological disease. It specifically damages summer shoots and new shoots, causing leaf tips to turn yellow, leaves to become deformed, shrink, become rigid, and fall off early. Control: Apply heavy potassium and calcium fertilizers combined with pruning to strengthen tree vigor.

6. Fruit cracking disease: A physiological disease. During the fruit enlargement period, sudden rain after long drought or excessive rain causes the flesh moisture to expand and leads to peel cracking. Control: During the young fruit enlargement period, spray leaves multiple times with 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or 50 PP gibberellin. Fruit bagging can prevent fruit cracking.

(2) Main insect pests:

1. Loquat yellow hairy caterpillar: Occurs 4-5 generations per year, lays eggs on the underside of tender leaves. The larvae feed on tender leaves and young leaves, and in severe cases all leaves on the tree are destroyed. Pupates on the underside of leaves or on branches and trunks; adults appear in early May of the following year. Control: Use 90% trichlorfon 1000 times liquid, 20% fenvalerate 4000-5000 times liquid, or 80% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate 1500 times liquid to kill the larvae.

2. Loquat prominent moth, also known as the tail-lifting worm, mostly damages old leaves. Control: Refer to the yellow hairy caterpillar.

3. Oriental fruit moth: Mainly damages fruits, tender shoots, and branches and trunks. Adults lay eggs in the calyx tube. Larvae bore into the flesh and damage seeds, excreting feces around the seeds and causing fruit drop. Control:

① Bagging protection.

② Use blacklight lamps, sugar-vinegar liquid, or sex pheromones for monitoring and forecasting. Grasp the peak moth emergence period for spraying: spray 80% dichlorvos 1500 times liquid, 50% fenitrothion 1500 times liquid, or 90% trichlorfon 1000 times liquid.

4. Leopard moth: Mainly damages loquat branches and trunks. It occurs 1 generation per year, overwinters as larvae in the branches, adults emerge in May-June, and adults are phototactic. Eggs are laid on new shoots or at bud axils. Newly hatched larvae mostly bore in from the bud axils at the tips of tender shoots and damage the new shoots. Control: Timely prune out diseased and pest-infested branches, inject 80% dichlorvos 10-30 times liquid into the insect holes, then seal with soil to poison the larvae inside the branches. Light traps can also be used to kill adults.

5. Longhorn beetles: There are many species of longhorn beetles that damage loquat, including citrus longhorn beetle, brown longhorn beetle, mulberry longhorn beetle, and others. One generation per year. Young larvae overwinter inside branches and trunks. Adults appear from June to September, mostly laying eggs under the bark cortex of branches 1-3 cm thick or at branch forks. After hatching, larvae bore under the bark and gradually penetrate deeper into the xylem to form long tunnels. Control: Use cotton balls dipped in dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate or omethoate 10-30 times liquid and insert them into the insect holes. A syringe can also be used to inject the liquid into the holes, then seal the hole openings with soil to fumigate and kill the larvae inside. A wire can also be used to hook out or stab dead the larvae inside the holes.

Harvesting

The ripening period of loquat varies according to variety, climate, terrain, soil quality, and tree vigor. In addition, because the flowering period of loquat is long, even the ripeness of fruits on the same fruit cluster is inconsistent. Before ripening, the fruit still continues to enlarge; before coloring, the sugar content rises rapidly and the acidity decreases; the green color of the calyx at the top of the fruit fades, and the flesh and internal contents gradually change and ripen. At maturity, the fruit is yellow to orange-yellow. Loquat fruits should be harvested at the right time, and fruits should be harvested in batches according to external color. Where transportation is inconvenient or transport is needed, they should be harvested at 80-90% maturity to facilitate storage and transport. Loquat fruits are covered with fuzz and the flesh is soft and juicy. When harvesting, hold the fruit stalk and carefully cut off the fruit, place it gently in a shallow basket lined with soft material, and send it to the grading and packing site. Do not hold the fruit or pull the fruit, and avoid touching it with fingernails and pricking it with harvest shears, so as to avoid rubbing off the fuzz on the fruit surface or causing rot and losing commercial value.