Fruit Development and Some Tree Factors Affecting It

The rate and duration of apple fruit growth, cell division, and cell expansion, were considered in relation to within-tree factors affecting them. Fruit size at harvest was found to be related to the position of fruit on the spur, seed number, spur size, number of fruits set on the spur, and the date of flowering. The position of fruit on the spur, and spur size, were related to blossom size, but not to the subsequent rate of fruit growth. The rate of growth appeared to be increased by higher seed numbers for the first few weeks after blossom, but there was some evidence that fruit with higher seed numbers had a lower rate of growth in the later stages. The effect of some of these factors on fruit set was also considered.