Variety traits
Prunus armeniaca L.
Fruit drop is a key varietal trait of apricot that determines harvest technology and the suitability of a cultivar for mechanical harvesting. It is characterized by the ability of the fruits to remain attached to the branches upon reaching consumer maturity.
In the reference 19 varieties crop Apricot, where this is mentioned in the description.
To assess apricot fruit drop, a visual scale from 1 to 7 points is used, where 1 point corresponds to strong fruit retention, and 5–7 points indicate mass shedding due to wind or ripening. For quantitative refinement, fallen fruit under sample trees is counted and expressed as a percentage of the total harvest volume.
Cultivars with high fruit drop require multiple harvests at intervals of several days, which increases labor costs and reduces fruit shelf life due to the risk of overripening. Only cultivars with low fruit drop are suitable for mechanical harvesting, as premature fruit abscission leads to mechanical damage and significant crop losses.
During variety evaluation, fruit drop should be distinguished from mass ovary shedding, which is usually caused not by varietal traits but by agrotechnical factors, nutrient deficiencies, or adverse weather conditions during the fruit development period.
General information about the subject — on the page Shattering.
Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.
Prunus armeniaca L. · Apricot
Instytut Ogrodnictwa - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy
Prunus armeniaca L. · Apricot
Instytut Ogrodnictwa - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy
Prunus armeniaca L. · Apricot
Prunus armeniaca L. · Apricot