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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Influence of photosynthetic inhibitors on peach

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Several photosynthetic inhibitors were screened for relative photosynthetic reduction on leaves of greenhouse-grown peach trees. The most effective were 8% Vapor Gard, 10M diurcn, 10⁻³M ABA, and 10⁻³M terbacil, all of which reduced net photosynthesis (Pn) rates by 50% or more by 1 day after treatment without causing excessive phytotoxicity. Of these 4 treatments, terbacil at 10⁻³M gave the most consistent effects; treated leaves re-established near normal Pn rates within a week of treatment. At 1, 3, and 7 days after treatment with terbacil at 10⁻³M, Pn rates were 1.1, 9.0, and 16.6 mgCO₂ dm⁻² hr⁻¹ , respectively, compared with a pretreatment rate of 19.7. Terbacil was applied as limb treatments to bearing peach trees in the field to determine fruit thinning activity. Treatments were: single applications of 1000 or 2000 ppm, double applications a week apart of 1000 ppm, or 2000 followed by 1000 ppm. All treatments significantly reduced fruit number. Fruit drop was 73 to 90% on treated limbs compared to 20% on non-thinned check limbs. Only the single 1000 ppm treatment resulted in fruit size similar to the hand-thinned check, however, all treatments increased fruit size over the non-thinned checks.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
M.S.
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Horticulture
Department dc:contributor.department
Horticulture
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Year dc:date.issued
1983

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • DelValle, Terry B. Gonzales

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/101420
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/101420

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

DelValle, Terry B. Gonzales. Influence of photosynthetic inhibitors on peach. masters thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1983. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/101420