Factors affecting Hass avocado (<i>Persea americana</i>) fruit set in New Zealand

Abstract

Avocado trees typically have a low (<03) fruit set This means physiological studies on fruit development are difficult to carry out This investigation was conducted to determine which avocado flowers are most likely to set fruit Inflorescences at the tip of a floral shoot had significantly higher fruit set (P<005) than inflorescences at the base There was no significant difference in fruit set between determinate and indeterminate inflorescences The mean fruit set on hand pollinated flowers was 52 which was significantly higher than the 022 fruit set on open pollinated flowers The increase in fruit set following hand pollination suggests pollination may be one factor limiting fruit set of avocados in New Zealand