How to prevent and control fruit cracking in loquat? These measures you need to master

Loquat is a precious fruit unique to southern China, with an attractive appearance, bright color, sweet taste and unique flavor. However, during the ripening period of loquat, if rainy weather occurs, the fruit expands rapidly, leading to fruit cracking. Fruit cracking causes loquat to lose its commercial value, reduces the economic income of fruit growers, and also makes the fruit highly susceptible to pests and diseases. So how should loquat fruit cracking be prevented and controlled? Let's take a look.

1. Fruit bagging

Bagging loquat fruits in a timely manner can provide the fruit with a suitable and stable growing environment, and this is one of the main prevention and control methods for reducing fruit cracking caused by climate change. In addition, after bagging, damage from pests, diseases and high or low temperatures can also be reduced. Before bagging, do a good job of disinfection and sterilization as well as pest and disease control, try to prevent the fruit from directly touching the surface of the bag to avoid sunscald, and tie the bag opening tightly.

2. Scientific watering and fertilization

Reasonable and scientific watering and fertilization can also effectively prevent fruit cracking. When fertilizing, apply organic fertilizer as much as possible, as this can improve the soil structure, provide the plant with diverse nutrients, increase yield, and also reduce the fruit cracking rate. In orchard management, water is extremely important, and attention should be paid to supplying water evenly. When the climate and soil are dry, water in a timely manner to keep the soil moist and provide what the plant needs for growth. In rainy seasons, drain water in a timely manner to prevent waterlogging, so that the plant does not absorb too much water, expand rapidly and cause fruit cracking.

3. Reasonable shaping and pruning

Loquat plants have extremely strong sprouting ability. If pruning is not carried out in a timely manner, they will grow numerous branches in a short time, causing the canopy to become tall and large. Moreover, these branches are numerous and thin, consuming a large amount of nutrients from the plant, so the fruit cannot obtain enough nutrients for growth, thus causing fruit cracking. Therefore, during plant growth, dwarfing treatment should be carried out to make the canopy shorter but the branches thicker, which is conducive to nutrient supply, allows the fruit to grow well, and reduces the occurrence of fruit cracking.

4. Chemical prevention

In modern cultivation, a large number of chemical agents are widely used. During the fruit growth period of loquat, spraying agents on the fruit can effectively prevent the occurrence of fruit cracking. When the fruit begins to color, timely spraying of an ethylene solution can effectively prevent loquat fruit cracking, and can also make the fruit mature 7-10 days earlier, allowing it to be marketed earlier and seize the market in time. In addition, during the fruit expansion period, foliar spraying with 0.2% urea and 0.2% borax solution can promote fruit growth and development and reduce the occurrence of fruit cracking.

The above are prevention and control measures for loquat fruit cracking. We hope they can help you. If you want to learn more about loquat cultivation, please stay tuned to us.