Girdling as a means of increasing fruit size and earliness in peach and nectarine cultivars

Abstract

SummaryGirdling was found usefully to increase fruit size and advance maturity in six early-season peach and nectarine cultivars, but injuries were caused in some trees because of poor healing. The degree of callusing was found to depend on the cultivar and the width of the girdle. Cv Springtime was the most tolerant cultivar to girdling and a girdle width between 5 and 10 mm gave the best results. A girdle width greater than 5 mm decreased callus formation on the other cultivars, and even caused the death of some trees of cv Armking, the most sensitive cultivar.