Annona Fruit Set

[mikesid]

I'm not one discourage fruit growth on my trees...I have been hand pollinating my 'Gefner' for over a month and a half now and am getting good fruit set. The problem is, is that I'm getting multiple fruit sets out of the same spot on the branch..As successive flowers push they sometimes push right next to the ones that have fruit set and they also are setting fruit. Should I allow this to continue or will it cause to much stress in one area giving me smaller fruit? I just can't bear deciding which fruit lives and which dies....

[Soren]

Could you provide an idea on how many fruits are on the way and how big is the tree?

[FlyingFoxFruits]

don't thin them out you can never have enough fruit set!

I bet they will naturally drop here and there, but don't remove any (my advice, I may be wrong).

annonas never make enough fruit for me!!  and I've never heard of thinning the fruits
good luck amigo!

[Guanabanus]

A branch this size should only have one fruit on it, for maximum size and quality.  Wait another couple of weeks; then, if one has not aborted, cut the smaller one off.

I have seen Annonas with too many fruits, that were therefore small and less tasty, and I have seen Annonas decline after too large of a harvest.  I have seen this with '48---26' atemoya and 'Canul' custard-apple.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

see I was wrong!
 


but I haven't had to thin mine yet, unfortunately!!

hope u have to thin em out!!

thanks for the tip Har.

[FloridaGreenMan]

Too many annona fruits on one branch does result in smaller fruit and possible branch die back . I always thin them too.   

[Soren]

I for one would not get worried about a doublet on a healthy branch if the total number of fruits compared to the size of the tree is low. The second picture indicates a fragile branch, there I would likely thin as well - that said, I never micromanage the fruit-set, just don't have the time - and I have so far never had a broken branch on a annona tree either.

[mikesid]

My fruit set is ridiculous...almost every one I'm pollinating is setting fruit. When I pollinate I also pollinate my 'Kampong Mauve' and 'Lisa' at the same time. I know there must be some hybridizing going on between these. Is there any change in fruit quality using pollen from various annonas to set fruit? I know the seeds will produce something variable but does fruit quality change at all? I think I will start separating the pollen and label the ones I cross pollinate...I have just been collecting all the pollen at one time from the male flowers from all my trees and putting them into the same container...does anybody know of any references to what has been tried. I'd be curious to find out.

[fruitlovers]

My fruit set is ridiculous...almost every one I'm pollinating is setting fruit. When I pollinate I also pollinate my 'Kampong Mauve' and 'Lisa' at the same time. I know there must be some hybridizing going on between these. Is there any change in fruit quality using pollen from various annonas to set fruit? I know the seeds will produce something variable but does fruit quality change at all? I think I will start separating the pollen and label the ones I cross pollinate...I have just been collecting all the pollen at one time from the male flowers from all my trees and putting them into the same container...does anybody know of any references to what has been tried. I'd be curious to find out.

I wouldn't think the fruit quality would change, only the seed. But Har is the one to ask.

[Mike T]

Whatever the pollinator is it cannot influence the flavour of the flesh which is purely derived from the mother tree.The amount of pollination in composite flowers can influence the size and shape of some fruit and especially how many seeds.The next generation will show the effects of x-pollination.If you plant 100's of seeds sometimes those with the different shaped or sized leaves show the few that are outcrossed.

[Guanabanus]

Mike T,
What you say, about pollen source not influencing flavor of the fruit, is usually correct, at least with sugar-apple, cherimoya, atemoya, and custard-apple.

However, if you pollinate true annonas with Pond-Apple pollen, you will get very large, different-looking, spongy, unpalatable fruits with non-viable, liquid-filled seeds.

Enduser,
I like your careful observations!  I had not formed that clear of a verdict on Geffner pollen.  I will have to find my old records and check on that.  I was trying to make hybrid seeds, and was not specifically evaluating pollen viability.

[Mike T]

Guanabanus,
I am surprised because it doesn't seem possible.I am sure your observations are correct but I have been told by breeders of other fruits that this is the case.It makes me wonder how the fertilised seed would influence the developing flesh which is from the mother plant.There must be phytopheromone cues from the seed.

[Guanabanus]

Note that in this case there are no seeds, only seed coats.

[Mike T]

Very interesting Har I wonder if the compatability of the pollen influences the maternal investment of the fruit or the pollen tubules catalyze a response.I will use the pond apple example if someone again tells me pollen has no influence on the maternal tissue beyond compatability.

[Guanabanus]

This may actually vary from one Pond-Apple pollen source to another, as they vary in chromosome numbers.

[JF]

Noel is right, thin the fruits! This is what happens when you get greedy and let too many fruits set in one branch....they winds came and there went the branch with 20 fruits.

[mikesid]

Guanabanus,
I am surprised because it doesn't seem possible.I am sure your observations are correct but I have been told by breeders of other fruits that this is the case.It makes me wonder how the fertilised seed would influence the developing flesh which is from the mother plant.There must be phytopheromone cues from the seed.

I asked this question because of vegetables I planted in my garden. I planted some of my cantaloupes too close to my cucumber and it changed not only the flavor of the cantaloupe but it also influenced the structure and shape. Here is a pic of what happens to the fruits that are too close to my cucumber vines. The one on the bottom has crossed with cucumber pollen. I looked this up and it is reported that this happens amongst different types cucurbit plants.

[Mike T]

Enduser is that off the one vine or are you talking about the next generation of some of the melon seeds where the plants show cucumber characteristics?The clincher about  pollens' influence is when the development of fruit on one plant shows the different characteristics according to the pollen source.

[mikesid]

Enduser is that off the one vine or are you talking about the next generation of some of the melon seeds where the plants show cucumber characteristics?The clincher about  pollens' influence is when the development of fruit on one plant shows the different characteristics according to the pollen source.

This is straight off the vine. Both were planted the same day, from the same seed packet and picked yesterday. The flavor becomes mellowed out like a cucumber.

[Mike T]

Two different vines where one is a hybrid is easy enough to believe because it is the next generation.If pollen influences the fruit characteristics then the different types should be able to be present on one vine.

[fruitlovers]

Mikesid, do you save your own seeds? I'm guessing that has to be second generation, not from pollen cross on adjoining plants.

[mikesid]

I do save seeds but I went out and checked and these fruits were actually off the same vine. They were hybrid seeds from a packet of seeds I purchased from Burpee.

[fruitlovers]

I do save seeds but I went out and checked and these fruits were actually off the same vine. They were hybrid seeds from a packet of seeds I purchased from Burpee.

I would guess then that those seeds from Burpee got accidentally crossed. Can happen when crops are not isolated by enough distance.