ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Physiology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1551110
The relationship between microclimate factors and fruit quality in different tree canopies of Xiahui No. 8 peach trees
Provisionally accepted
- Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, China
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In this study, 6-year-old Xiahui No. 8 peach trees were used to investigate the effects of microclimates on their fruit quality between open-center and Y-shaped tree canopies. The impacts of the two canopy structures on light distribution, temperature, and relative humidity (RH) within the canopy, and their correlation with fruit quality metrics such as weight, hardness, soluble solid content (SSC), and dry matter content (DMC) were analyzed. The open-center-shaped trees had more favorable light distribution, with higher light intensity in the upper canopy layers and a larger light interception area, leading to improved fruit yield and quality compared to Yshaped trees. The open-center-shaped trees also had higher single fruit weight, percentage of large fruits, SSC, flesh DMC and fruit hardness. However, free acidity showed only a minor difference between the two tree shapes. The study also found significant differences in the fruit coloration across canopy layers, with fruits in the upper layers exhibiting better coloration and higher SSC. Light intensity ranged from 30-90% and was strongly and positively correlated with fruit quality, thereby influencing the fruit size, coloration, and sugar-acid ratio. Overall, the open-centershaped trees prove to be more conducive to improving fruit quality and yield. Nevertheless, proper management of the tree shapes, branch distribution, and light intensity is essential in optimizing fruit quality and maximizing the economic benefits of peach orchards.
Keywords: peach, Canopy, Microclimate, fruit quality, Xiahui No. 8
Received: 24 Dec 2024; Accepted: 23 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhen, Wang, Xia, Li, Wu, Zhao and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Dong Wang, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, China
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