Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding 2025, Vol.15, No.4, 147-153 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/tgmb 152 8 Concluding Remarks Autumn pruning can promote the growth of new shoots and cell division, thus making loquat fruits larger and with higher yields. By using the double-cut pruning method, the branches will be thicker and there will be more leaves, all of which can provide more nutrients for fruit development. The peak of cell division mainly occurs before flower bud differentiation. Flower bud thinning is also very important. For instance, keeping four flower buds per inflorescence can make the fruit sweeter and of better quality. If 12 flower buds are retained in each inflorescence, it will be more conducive to the total yield. Although there is no specific study on the N-K ratio for loquats at present, other fruit and vegetable experiments have shown that increasing the potassium fertilizer ratio (such as N:K=1:2) can help improve yield and quality, indicating that it may also be effective for loquats. In production, it is recommended to adopt double-cut pruning in autumn to promote the growth of new shoots and the differentiation of flower buds, laying a solid foundation for the size and yield of fruits in the following year. When thinning flower buds, if the goal is high quality, four flower buds can be retained per inflorescence. If the goal is high yield, more flower buds can be left. Fertilization can refer to the experience of other crops and appropriately increase the proportion of potassium fertilizer (for example, N:K=1:2) to enhance both yield and quality simultaneously. Pruning and fertilization plans should be flexibly adjusted according to the growth of the tree and the yield target to maintain a balance between growth and fruiting. However, there is currently a lack of systematic trials on the effects of different N-K ratios on the yield and quality of loquats. The synergistic effect of autumn pruning and N-K ratio regulation is also not clear enough. The comprehensive effects of pruning and fertilization on the stress resistance, nutritional components of the fruit and the commercial appearance of loquats still need to be further studied. In the future, the focus should be placed on exploring a management model that combines pruning and the N-K ratio, and clarifying their mechanisms of action in the sustainable and efficient production of loquats. Acknowledgments The author appreciates the modification suggestions from two anonymous peer reviewers on the manuscript of this study. The author also thanks the group members for helping to organize the research data. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The author affirms that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Ali M.M., Anwar R., Shafique M.W., Yousef A.F., and Chen F., 2021, Exogenous application of Mg, Zn and B influences phyto-nutritional composition of leaves and fruits of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.), Agronomy, 11(2): 224. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020224 Ali S., Hafeez A., Ma X., Tung S., Chattha M., Shah A., Luo D., Ahmad S., Liu J., and Yang G., 2019, Equal potassium-nitrogen ratio regulated the nitrogen metabolism and yield of high-density late-planted cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in Yangtze River valley of China, Industrial Crops and Products, 129: 231-241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2018.12.009 Cai Z.Q., Peng J.P., and Ge L., 2002, Effects of cutting back on growth and bearing of degenerative loquat tree, Subtropical Plant Science, 31(4): 40. Fallah M., Delshad M., and Sheikhi H., 2021, The effects of cluster pruning and the K:N ratio on greenhouse tomato yield and quality, Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology, 62: 691-700. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-021-00358-7 Gomes E.N., Vieira L.M., Fagundes C.M., Rossa Ü.B., Tofanelli M.B.D., and Deschamps C., 2020, Controlled-release fertilizer increases growth, chlorophyll content and overall quality of loquat seedlings, Comunicata Scientiae, 11: e3353. https://doi.org/10.14295/cs.v11i0.3353 Gu J., Chen Y., Zhang H., Li Z., Zhou Q., Yu C., Kong X., Liu L., Wang Z., and Yang J., 2017, Canopy light and nitrogen distributions are related to grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in rice, Field Crops Research, 206: 74-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2017.02.021 Gupta P., Priyanka K., and Sivanand C., 2022, Loquat, In: Nayik G.A., and Gull A. (eds.), Antioxidants in fruits: properties and health benefits, Springer, Singapore, pp.577-592. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7285-2_30
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