F NORTH FLORIDA EXPERIMENT STATION
 f IE5 Quincy, Florida
 70 9 September 11, 1969

North Florida Station Mimeo Report NFES 70-2


 Influence of succinic Acid 2,2-Dimethyl Hydrazide (Alar) on Fruit
 Development of 4 North Florida Peach Varieties

 J. B. Aitkenl/

 INTRODUCTION

 In recent years the cost and availability of labor has prompted growers to seek ways
of reducing the amount of labor required to produce peaches in North Florida. The
possibility of mechanical harvesters in the future which would require uniform crop maturity
and the idea that uniform ripening would reduce the number of pickings stimulated a search
for a means of inducing uniform ripening.

 In 1969, a study was initiated to determine what influence Alar would have on the fruit
development of peaches in North Florida. Alar was found to promote more uniform ripening
of peaches in South Carolina and pickings were reduced from 5 to 22/.

 MATERIALS AND METHODS

 Succinic acid 2,2-dimethyl hydrazide (Alar) was furnished by UniRoyal Chemical Div. of
UniRoyal Inc. as a 85% formulation.

 Armgold, June Gold and Suwannee varieties were treated with 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm
aqueous solution of Alar at stylar abscission and 4000 ppm 40 days before anticipated
harvest. Stylar abscission occurred about 40 days before anticipated harvest in Armgold and
June Gold. The June Gold and Suwannee experiments each had 3 replications of single-tree
plots of 5-year-old trees. The Armgold experiment consisted of 4 replications of single-
tree plots of 4-year-old trees.

 An additional experiment was set up on 9-year-old Maygold trees replicated 3 times
using single-tree plots. This experiment involved a concentration x application date series
of treatments. Concentrations were 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 ppm applied 5, 10, 15, 20, 25
'nd 30 days after full bloom. In addition 4000 ppm was applied 35 days after full bloom
(40 days before anticipate harvest). An untreated control was included in the experiment.

 All of the experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block design for
statistical analyses.

 Alar solutions in each experiment were applied as foliar sprays to run-off using a
-ortable pumping unit operating at 100 psi and applying 0.75-1.5 gallons of spray per tree
depending upon tree size. All sprays were applied in the morning with none of the sprays
being washed off the day of application.

 Fruit weight was used as the index of treatment effect on Armgold and June Gold. All
fruit on each tree was harvested, counted and weighed in order to determine an average
:sight per fruit. The index used on Suwannee was fruit firmness as determined with a



-Assistant Professor (Assistant Horticulturist), North Fla. Expt. Sta., Quincy.
?/
SE. T. Sims, Jr., Unpublished data, Clemson Univ., Clemson, S. C.