De la Cruz Rodríguez, Luis F.

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    Evaluación de dos bioestimulantes agrícolas en naranja dulce (𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴) 'Valencia Tardía' en la región montañosa centro-norte de Puerto Rico
    (2013) De la Cruz Rodríguez, Luis F.; Morales Payán, José P.; College of Agricultural Sciences; González Vélez, Agenol; Zamora Echevarría, José L.; Department of Agro-Environmental Sciences; Soto Vélez, Jay O.
    Field experiments were conducted in 2010-2012 in Corozal, Puerto Rico, to determine the effects of exogenous biostimulants on the population dynamics of selected pests and on fruit yield and quality of ‘Late Valencia’ sweet orange fruits. Two formulations of commercially-available crop biostimulants were evaluated (an extract of the marine alga 𝘈𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘮 and a blend of amino acids + calcium). The biostimulants were dissolved in water and sprayed on the citrus leaves, beginning in the last week of August in 2010 and 2011, at 21-day intervals until the trees were sprayed six times. In each application, each tree was sprayed to run-off with 4 L of the biostimulant solution containing 0, 5, 10, 20 or 30 ml of the 𝘈𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘮 extract or 4 ml of the amino acid + calcium blend. During the experiments, the populations of the pests citrus dragon (𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘪), leaf miner (𝘗𝘩𝘺𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢) and the aphid 𝘛𝘰𝘹𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢 spp. were monitored, new branch sprouts were counted and fruit retention in the trees was determined. Orange fruits were harvested, counted, weighed, and measured, and their juice was analyzed for weight, volume, concentration of soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, and ratio of soluble solid/titratable acidity, was well as the technological index and amount of soluble solids produced per tree. Orange trees produced significantly more fruit in the second year of research (2011-2012), which was attributed to better growing conditions during that year. Fruit abortion in the 22 weeks prior to harvesting was 19%. However, biostimulant treatments did not have significant effects on the variables measured. Future research will focus on evaluation of biostimulant types, rates, and stage of fruit development.