How to prevent and control flower and fruit drop in Sichuan pepper? Latest measures explained
Sichuan pepper is a common seasoning in daily life, widely planted in China, and can also be used as traditional Chinese medicine, with effects such as dispelling cold, relieving pain, and killing insects, and can also be processed into soap, making it quite versatile. Many growers experience flower and fruit drop during cultivation, so what causes Sichuan pepper flower and fruit drop? How should it be prevented and controlled? Let's find out together.
I. Causes of flower and fruit drop
1. Insufficient nutrition
During the flowering period of Sichuan pepper, flower growth requires a large amount of nutrients. In summer, photosynthesis occurs, and the opening of stomata releases a large amount of fragrance, attracting large numbers of aphids that cause damage, leading to reduced leaf photosynthesis, poor plant nutrition, and severe flower and fruit drop. After fruit set, fruit growth requires even more nutrients, and insufficient nutrient supply makes physiological flower and fruit drop severe.
2. Poor environment
Low-temperature freezing damage, prolonged drought, pest and disease damage, excessively dense branch growth, insufficient light, and excessive rain can all affect the quality of pollination and fertilization, causing flower and fruit drop.
3. Pest and disease damage
Pest and disease damage is also one of the main causes of Sichuan pepper flower and fruit drop, reducing the fruit-setting rate and causing flower and fruit drop.
II. Control methods
1. Promoting flower formation
Young trees can be stimulated with chemicals to promote flower formation. Ethephon can be used to control and promote flowering on 4-5 year old trees that have already begun to form a fruiting canopy or on vegetative branches. The late-autumn shoot sprouting rate reaches over 95%, and the flower formation rate reaches about 50% to 90%, while untreated plants can hardly form flowers.
2. Drought and waterlogging prevention
Spring and summer temperatures are relatively high, and rainfall is lacking. At this time, water should be applied promptly to avoid drought. Generally, water once a month, and after watering it is best to cover the soil to preserve moisture. In summer, if heavy rain occurs, drainage and waterlogging prevention should be done well to avoid plant death.
3. Increasing fertilizer application
During the fruit-setting period, apply fertilizer three times in a timely manner along with watering. The first is young fruit fertilizer, generally applying 0.1-0.3 kg of nitrogen fertilizer and 0.5-1.0 kg of phosphate fertilizer per plant; the second is fruit-swelling fertilizer, applied into the soil around the roots through ring-shaped holes, generally applying 15 kg of farmyard manure, 0.1 kg of zinc fertilizer, and 0.5 kg of phosphate fertilizer per plant; finally, one month before harvest, the main purpose is to restore tree vigor, applying only farmyard manure, generally by trenching in strips or applying in holes.
4. Scientific pruning
A good tree shape can be cultivated, with reasonable irrigation, improving the plant's ability to resist adverse environments. During the flowering period, attention should be paid to controlling leaf rust and more than 20 kinds of pests and diseases such as longhorn beetles, aphids, gall midges, and Sichuan pepper white scale insects, with timely spraying for control.
The above is an introduction to the control measures for Sichuan pepper flower and fruit drop. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.