How to Prevent Bayberry Fruit Drop? A Full Breakdown of Practical Control Methods

Bayberry (waxberry) is a fruit that many people enjoy eating, and it has a very large market demand in China. Not only does bayberry now have a huge market, but its market price also rises year after year without falling. However, when growing bayberry, fruit drop often occurs, causing a serious decline in yield. So what are the main causes of bayberry fruit drop? How can bayberry fruit drop be prevented? Let's take a look together below!

I. Causes of Fruit Drop

1. Branch growth conditions

The branch growth conditions of the bayberry tree are directly linked to its flower set and fruit set. After the bayberry tree enters the flowering stage, spring shoots begin to grow, and their growth vigor is also relatively strong. At this time, the growth direction of the bayberry tree is a state in which reproductive and vegetative growth coexist. If this is not handled in time, the new shoots that grow will compete for the nutrients of the flowers and young fruit. This leads to insufficient nutrients for flower and fruit growth, resulting in a large amount of flower and fruit drop. Therefore, the more spring shoots that grow, the lower the fruit set rate will be, and in severe cases it can cause all the fruit to drop.

2. Bayberry varieties

There are now very many bayberry varieties in China, and different varieties naturally have different growth characteristics. Naturally, some varieties also cause flower and fruit drop for varietal reasons. Moreover, the growth vigor of the bayberry tree is also closely related to its flower set and fruit set. For example, if a young bayberry tree has strong growth vigor, then due to growth demands, it will compete for the nutrients needed for the development of bayberry flowers and fruit, and its fruit set rate will naturally be much lower than that of a mature tree. In addition, when the bayberry tree's growth vigor is too weak due to factors such as poor management, pests and diseases, and weather, flower and fruit drop will also occur.

II. Control Methods

1. Pay attention to rain sheltering

The ripening period of bayberry generally falls during the summer rainstorm season. At this time, high temperature and high humidity can very easily cause fruit drop, so if we start doing a good job of rain sheltering about two weeks before harvest, it can effectively reduce fruit drop. When sheltering bayberry from rain, choose a reasonable film-covering method according to your own conditions, including trellis film covering, simple film umbrellas, and direct covering, among others. After covering with film, be sure to secure the film to prevent it from being blown away by the wind. Also, a certain distance should be kept between the top of the canopy and the branches, leaves, and fruit in the middle, to improve the tree's air permeability and avoid sunscald.

2. Harvest in time

Timely harvesting can effectively prevent some ripe and unripe bayberries from dropping. Based on past growing experience, if fruit drop is relatively severe, then we can appropriately harvest earlier. Usually, the ripening time and harvest period of bayberry differ depending on the growing region. If the ripening time of the same bayberry tree is uneven, then it should be harvested in batches, and done promptly once ripe. Finally, for some varieties with severe fruit drop, appropriately spray some fruit-drop-preventing agent, but be careful to control the dosage to avoid causing phytotoxicity.

The above is a brief introduction to how to prevent bayberry fruit drop. There are many causes of bayberry fruit drop, but some of them are caused by our improper management, so everyone must pay close attention. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can help everyone!