On the Fruit Development of Tianmu Sweet Plum

Key words: 
• prunus /
• fruits /
• growth rate /
• development

Abstract: The fruit development of Tianmu Sweet Plum could be divided into 3 stages: the first of which is a 44-day fast growing period lasting from flower wilting to May 4th, during which the vertical and horizontal diameters of the fruit respectively account for 59.48% and 48.81% of those of the mature fruit;the second of which is a 21-day slow growing period called hardstone stage lasting from 5th to 25th of May, during which the vertical and horizontal diamters of the fruit respectively account for 11.48% and 13.57% of those of the mature fruit; the last of which is a 35-day fast growing period lasting from May 26th to July 1st when cells increase in volume and the fruit is largest, during which the vertical and horizontal diameters of the fruit respectively account for 29.07% and 37.62% of those of the mature fruit. The development of the fruit flesh varies in different parts of the fruit, with cells of the fruit peel increasing most slowly in area. The whole process of the fruit development coincides with that of drupe fruits showing a fast-slow-fast double s curve. Einally 3 technical measures for raising the quantity and quality of the fruit are suggested.