1. The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited
Avocado – Fruit set
Mark Goodwin, Lisa Evans and Heather McBrydie

2. Aim:
To see if we can determine which flowers will set
fruit.
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

3. Introduction:
• Morphology
• Pollinators
• Fruit set
• Summary
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

5. Female phase Male phase
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

6. The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

7. Morning - Female
Day 1
Morning –
Male
Closed
Afternoon –
Female
Day 2 Morning - Male
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

8. Morning - Female
Day 1
Morning –
Male
Closed
Afternoon –
Female
Day 2 Afternoon - Male
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

9. Afternoon - Female
Day 1
Morning –
Female
Closed
Afternoon –
Male
Day 2 Morning - Male

10. The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

13. The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

14. The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

15. Determinate vs. indeterminate
Treatment No. of No. of flowers No. of fruit Average %
trees (19/02/09) fruit set
Determinate
Indeterminate
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

16. Determinate vs. indeterminate
Treatment No. of No. of flowers No. of fruit Average %
trees (19/02/09) fruit set
Determinate 20
Indeterminate 20
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

17. Determinate vs. indeterminate
Treatment No. of No. of flowers No. of fruit Average %
trees (19/02/09) fruit set
Determinate 20 29865
Indeterminate 20 23793
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

18. Determinate vs. indeterminate
Treatment No. of No. of flowers No. of fruit Average %
trees (19/02/09) fruit set
Determinate 20 29865 56
Indeterminate 20 23793 40
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

19. Determinate vs. indeterminate
Treatment No. of No. of flowers No. of fruit Average %
trees (19/02/09) fruit set
Determinate 20 29865 56 0.18
Indeterminate 20 23793 40 0.24
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

20. 0.7
0.6
0.5
Percent fruit set
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Inflorescence
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

21. Inflorescence removal
Treatment No. of trees No. of fruit (19/02/09) Average % set
Tip 20
Base 20
Control 20
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

22. Inflorescence removal
Treatment No. of trees No. of fruit (19/02/09) Average % set
Tip 20
Base 20
Control 20
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

23. Inflorescence removal
Treatment No. of trees No. of fruit (19/02/09) Average % set
Tip 20 32 0.398
Base 20 7 0.087
Control 20 35 0.225
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

24. Hand pollination
Treatment No. of No. of No. of No. of Average
trees replicates flowers fruit % fruit set
(19/02/09)
Determinate 11 14 277
Indeterminate 11 14 287
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

25. Hand pollination
Treatment No. of No. of No. of No. of Average
trees replicates flowers fruit % fruit set
(19/02/09)
Determinate 11 14 277 16 5.7
Indeterminate 11 14 287 13 4.6
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

26. 8
6
Percent fruit set
4
2
0
0 1 2 3
Control Hand pollinated
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

28. Summary
• No determinate/indeterminate effect
• Base tip effect 5X
• Pollen added effect 30x
• Suggests pollination limiting
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

29. Conclusion
We can increase fruit set by adding pollen
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

30. Next season
Repeat last season
Distribution of fruit on trees relative to pollinizers
Repeat pollinations - 5 Flowers per inflorescence
Check hand pollinations
Possibly look at bee movements
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

31. The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited
www.plantandfood.com
mark.goodwin@plantandfood.co.nz