The Effect of Alsol and Ethephon Alone or Combined with Antitranspirants for Harvesting Olive Fruits

Abstract

‘Chemlali’ olive fruits sprayed with ethephon (1000 ppm) or alsol (3000 ppm) significantly reduced fruit removal force (FRF) and increased fruit drop one week following treatment. Ethephon treated branches with polyethylene bags have more per cent of fruit drop and excessive leaf drop. Spraying Vapor Gard (VG) 1 hour, or 1 day following ethephon had no additional effects over ethephon alone. Mixing alsol with Folicote (FC) resulted in a significant FRF reduction than alsol alone 2 days from spray but was equally effective 1 week from spray.