What to Do About Citrus Fruit Drop? Identify the Cause and Apply Scientific Control

Recently, many citrus growers have reported that citrus fruit drop is very serious, and they have been asking how to solve citrus fruit drop, otherwise they will suffer heavy losses. In fact, a small amount of citrus fruit drop is very normal, because the tree cannot supply enough nutrients to so many citrus fruits, so it will automatically drop a portion. However, if a large amount of fruit drops, it becomes quite serious. Therefore, the editors of QinNong Network have organized and analyzed the situation based on growers' feedback, hoping to help fellow growers.

Causes of Fruit Drop

There are many causes of fruit drop. The editors have sorted out the most common problems. First is fruit drop caused by weather changes such as rain, typhoons, and high temperatures. Second, weak tree vigor also easily causes fruit drop. Then there is excessive fruit set without flower and fruit thinning, which also causes fruit drop. There is also insufficient nutrients or a lack of certain specific trace elements, which can lead to fruit drop, as well as damage from pests and diseases. Finally, too many new shoots growing without pruning of branches and leaves, with shoots aging quickly, can also cause fruit drop. These are all common causes of massive citrus fruit drop.

Stages and Symptoms of Fruit Drop

Citrus fruit drop generally has three stages: the first physiological fruit drop, the second physiological fruit drop, and pre-harvest fruit drop. The first physiological fruit drop is mainly due to weak citrus tree vigor and insufficient nutrition, which causes a portion of the fruit to drop. At this time, the citrus fruits are about the size of a little finger. The second fruit drop occurs when the citrus grows to the size of a thumb. If fruit retention measures are not taken, the yield will be severely reduced. The pre-harvest fruit drop is the most costly, because by then the citrus is almost ready to eat.

Control Methods

For control methods, we need to treat the root cause according to the specific problem. Carrying out control based on different causes of fruit drop is the wisest choice. Control methods should not be applied indiscriminately. For weather-related factors, we generally take measures such as timely drainage, cooling, and wind protection. Next is applying more organic fertilizer to improve the citrus tree's own immunity. If the citrus tree is weak and lacks trace elements, then scientific fertilization is needed. For excessive fruit set, timely flower and fruit thinning is the best control method, following the principle of removing diseased fruit, weak fruit, and deformed fruit. Pruning and clearing the orchard with disinfection in early spring or winter each year can also effectively prevent fruit drop.

The above is what QinNong Network has compiled regarding the causes of citrus fruit drop and its solutions. If you have other questions, or if there is anything the editors have missed, you can leave a message for the editors to supplement. You can also follow our website to learn about the growing information you want to know.