Fruit set is the process in which flowers become fruit. The seed develops and the surrounding tissue grows to form a berry. Yes, as strange as it may seem, the avocado fruit is botanically classified as a berry. Fruit set is a stressful time for avocado trees due to the high demand and competition for resources between the mature fruit that is being harvested, the fruit that is being set for next year’s harvest and the new shoots that will produce next year’s flowers – three concurrent growth cycles. The challenge is to balance the resource needs of all three growth cycles in order to ensure optimal tree health and performance as well as optimal fruit quality and yield. It is normal for a large portion of flowers and fruitlets to fail and drop, even under optimum conditions, but good orchard management can ensure improved fruit set. Improving avocado fruitset Fruit drop can continue well into February, and ensuring we do everything we can to minimise unnecessary fruit drop will ensure we line our pockets rather than the orchard floor.
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