Fruit size management
Five tree managment practices can be used to manipulate the crop and influence fruit size:
Irrigation
Irrigation is one of the most important factors in producing a good yield of quality citrus. Scheduling, i.e. knowing how much water to put on and when, has a direct impact on tree health as well as fruit yield, size and quality.
Without correct irrigation scheduling your orchard is more susceptible to nutrient deficiencies, physiological disorders, pests and disease.
Weather information to assist with irrigation schedules can be found on the Bureau of Meteorology website or from the Department of Agriculture and Food automatic weather stations.
To find out more about irrigating citrus look at pages on:
- Citrus irrigation
- Calculating Readily Available Water
- Converting Readily Available Water to litres for drip irrigation
Nutrition
Nutrition affects yield and fruit quality and resilience. Nutrients can be applied in solution using fertigation equipment and spreading in a solid format under the trees.
Canopy management
Canopy management is important for managing light penetration, fruit size and quality and yield. Hedging and pruning are two physical methods of managing the canopy. The best time for pruning is just after harvest.
Harvest and postharvest care
- Guidelines for the management of microbial food safety in fruit packing houses.
- A guide to the common postharvest diseases and disorders of navel oranges and mandarins growing in inland Australia publication of the South Australian Research and Development Institute.
- Detailed information on postharvest care of citrus products can be found on the South Australian Research and Development Institute website.