What to do when citrus autumn shoots mature slowly? Learn methods to promote maturity

Citrus autumn shoots are the fruiting mother branches. Robust and uniform autumn shoots are what every fruit grower greatly desires. Good autumn shoots can not only reduce and overcome the alternate bearing phenomenon, but also ensure high and stable yields. However, in the production process, fruit grower friends often encounter situations where citrus shoots emerge slowly, emerge unevenly, or even do not emerge at all. So what are the reasons why autumn shoots fail to emerge? How should they be solved? Let's take a look.

I. Reasons why citrus autumn shoots fail to emerge

1. Summer shoots not yet mature, autumn shoot sprouting delayed

Summer shoots grow vigorously and are prone to sprouting and excessive vegetative growth, producing dominant branches. Summer shoots mature slowly, which will certainly affect the sprouting of autumn shoots.

2. Nutrition cannot keep up

Shoots and roots are closely connected. Due to drought and waterlogging, orchards may experience soil compaction and poor aeration, leading to weak tree growth and hindered root growth, which makes shoot sprouting difficult. Improper fertilization can easily cause fertilizer damage, and the roots cannot effectively absorb nutrients, thus preventing autumn shoots from sprouting. In addition, severe pests and diseases and weakened tree vigor will also affect autumn shoot sprouting. Excessive fruit load leading to the phenomenon of many fruits and few leaves will also prevent autumn shoots from emerging.

II. Scientifically promoting shoots

1. Summer shoots not yet mature

For this phenomenon, methods such as tip pinching, branch stripping, shortening, and fertilization should be used to promote the maturity of summer shoots and the timely sprouting of autumn shoots. Tip pinching is done on moderate summer shoots to weaken growth vigor and accelerate maturity; branch stripping is done on vigorously growing summer shoots, wiping from the base toward the tip to make the young leaves and terminal buds of summer shoots fall off, which is conducive to autumn shoot sprouting. Shortening is done on weaker summer shoots by cutting back or wiping them off; for treated immature summer shoots and plants with small fruits, foliar fertilizer can be appropriately sprayed to accelerate the aging of summer shoots.

2. Weak tree vigor, large fruit load

For plants with excessive fruit set and severe pest and disease damage, identify the cause and carry out timely control, remove excessive fruits, and promptly thin out top fruits, deformed fruits, pest- and disease-damaged fruits, small and weak fruits, and other fruits of low economic value, so as to reduce the burden on the tree.

3. Summer pruning

Summer pruning is generally carried out from June to July. The degree of pruning is determined according to tree age, tree vigor, fruit load of the current year, and other conditions. At the same time, ineffective branches such as crossing branches, weak branches, pest- and disease-damaged branches, and drooping branches should be cut off. This can be done simultaneously with fruit thinning.

  The above is an introduction to how to promote the maturity of citrus autumn shoots. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.