Fruit quality of the low-chill early ripening peach cultivar KU-PP2 is affected by the time of fruit thinning

Abstract: This study aimed to see how the timing of fruit thinning affected the fruit quality of the peach cultivar 'KU-PP2'. In the present study. 'KU-PP2' peach trees (12-year-old) were trained to an open center system at the Kagawa University Research Farm in Japan. Fruits were thinned at intervals of 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after full bloom (DAFB) on four branches per tree, for a total of 16 branches, to determine the best fruit thinning time for high fruit quality and larger fruit size. The branches were hand-thinned at each thinning date, keeping a distance of 10 cm between the fruits. Fruit maturity was accelerated by the fruit thinning treatments. Fruit weight and size increased when the fruits were thinned at 7 and 28 DAFB. Furthermore, the highest total soluble solids were found at 7, 14 and 28 DAFB, followed by 21 DAFB, which was higher than the control. All of the thinning treatments reduced skin and fruit firmness; however, the treatments did not affect flesh firmness. In control, the fruit colour value L was highest. The fruit colour value a, on the other hand, was the highest at 7 and 28 DAFB. Furthermore, b did not differ significantly between treatments, including the control. Based on our findings, we concluded that the 7 DAFB fruit thinning treatment produced the best results compared to other treatments.