EFFECTS OF PLANTING DENSITIES ON FRUIT QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF LOQUAT

The Turkish Mediterranean region has the most suitable ecological conditions for growing loquat. In 2008, 96% of total loquat production of Turkey was from the coastal zone of the Mediterranean region. A density study was conducted in Hatay, which is located in the eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey during 2004-2006 years. ‘Hafif Çukurgöbek’, ‘Sayda’ and ‘Gold Nugget’ loquat cultivars were propagated by budding in 1996, planted at three densities (3×3, 3×6 and 6×6 m) in May 1997 in an experimental orchard, and pruned to an open-centre system. Phenological and pomologaical data were collected on first blooming, full bloom and end of flowering, fruit weight, fruit length and width, seed number, edible fruit, TSS, pH and acidity, and yield per tree and per unit area were determined. With increasing planting density, yields per tree decreased while cumulative yields per hectare increased.