Flower and fruit production of ‘Wilson’ avocado in response to paclobutrazol

Avocado is a fruit of worldwide importance. In Puerto Rico, ‘Wilson’ is one of the favorite avocado cultivars, but the tree has a strong tendency to grow upwards and has a relatively low yield. Paclobutrazol is an anti-gibberellin used to retard vegetative growth and to regulate fruit production in various crops. Research was conducted in Puerto Rico to evaluate the effects of paclobutrazol, applied at different times in the production season, on the flowering and fruiting of ‘Wilson’ avocado. Paclobutrazol treatments did not significantly affect the date of appearance of the first flowers but increased the number of flowers as compared to control trees. Fruit retention was greater in paclobutrazol-treated trees, which resulted in significantly higher fruit yield.