Spring temperatures have a major effect on early stages of peach fruit growth

Previous research has shown that Spring temperatures within 30 d after bloom (expressed as accumulated growing degree hours, GDH) are useful for predicting the harvest date of specific peach cultivars. The goal of the present research was to explore the relationship between GDH and additional environmental parameters on peach fruit development and growth during the period from the full bloom date (FBD) to the reference date (RD). Since heat accumulation during the first 30 d after bloom is a primary driver of fruit phenology, we hypothesised that years with high early Spring temperatures would result in smaller RD fruit size (RDFS) because trees cannot supply resources rapidly enough to support the potential growth associated with high rates of phenological development. Data on FBD, RD, and RDFS were collected at different locations in California between 1988 - 2004 and were analysed in conjunction with seasonal environmental data including accumulated GDH, rainfall, soil temperature, and solar radiation, from FBD to RD. Early Spring air temperatures appeared to be a primary environmental factor influencing RDFS. GDH accumulation during the first 30 d after bloom (GDH30) caused a decrease in the number of days between FBD and RD. RDFS increased with increases in the number of days between FBD and RD, and was negatively affected during years with high Spring temperatures. High GDH30 accumulations increased the rates of fruit growth d(-1) but not enough to compensate for the shorter growth period from FBD to RD that occurred when GDH30 accumulation was high. The data supported the hypothesis that, with excessively high Spring temperatures, trees could not supply resources rapidly enough to support their maximum potential fruit growth rates.