Reasons for Low Fruit Set in Passion Fruit and Solutions
Passion fruit has a unique fragrance and a delicious taste, and is deeply loved by consumers, with good market returns, so more and more farmers are growing it. However, many fruit growers find during cultivation that their passion fruit has an extremely low fruit set rate, which also leads to relatively low yields and seriously affects profits. So what causes the low fruit set rate in passion fruit? And how should it be solved? Let's take a look together.
I. Reasons for Low Fruit Set
1. Adverse climate effects
The suitable temperature during the flowering period of passion fruit is 20-25 degrees. When the temperature is higher than 30 degrees, it will lead to incomplete development of the floral organs, poor stickiness of the stigma of the pistil, atrophy of the pollen tube, and both pollen germination of the male flowers and elongation of the pollen tube will be affected, which is unfavorable for pollination and fertilization. In addition, when it rains during the flowering period, the pollen is affected by rainwater and becomes damp, basically losing its germination capacity, while insect activity is also inhibited, causing the fruit set rate to become low.
2. Imbalanced nutrition during the flowering period
When passion fruit blooms and sets fruit, it consumes a large amount of nutrients. If nutrient supply is insufficient or imbalanced at this time, it will cause a relatively low fruit set rate. For example, when too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied, it will cause excessive vine growth, while a boron deficiency affects the formation of the pollen tube, causing flowers without fruit, and a lack of elements such as magnesium and zinc will affect flower quality, causing the fruit set rate to decline.
3. Pest and disease infestation
When pests such as thrips break out during the flowering period, the floral organs are very easily damaged, ultimately affecting the fruit set rate, and viral diseases easily cause poor flower bud differentiation, reducing the fruit set rate.
II. Solutions
When the natural pollination rate of passion fruit is relatively low, pollination and fertilization of passion fruit can be assisted by configuring pollinator trees, releasing bees, attracting bees and artificial pollination, thereby improving the fruit set rate. In hot and dry weather, the orchard can be sprayed with water before 10 a.m. to lower the temperature, effectively improving the cultivation environment, promoting the normal growth and development of the floral organs, and effectively increasing the fruit set rate. At the same time, attention should be paid to nutrient supplementation. In addition to conventional fertilization, cytokinin and Sea Elf biological stimulant can also be sprayed on the leaves during the flower bud differentiation stage and the flower bud stage, which can effectively improve flower quality and the fruit set rate. Prevention work should be done well in the early stage, and medication should be used cautiously during the flowering period to avoid phytotoxicity affecting the fruit set rate.
The above is an introduction to the reasons for low fruit set in passion fruit and the solutions, and we hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.