FRUIT CROPS

　　Fruit crop breeding focuses on mango, pomelo and pitaya. Commonly grown varieties have been collected and used in the breeding program. Several promising lines have been selected for further evaluation.

　　Pomelo shoot management and trimming time are crucial to stabilize flowering rate and improve fruit quality. Applying liquid fertilizer on mango leaves may cause gummy disease on fruits. Proper pruning of longan spikes at different times of the year can improve fruit setting and uniformity, and increase soluble solids in fruits. Rapid cloning for mass production of papaya was developed using dibbling tubes.

　　In response to changing weather patterns and for disaster prevention, recovery techniques for papaya and citrus were studied and developed for farmers. A protective production system was established for the year-round production of papaya. Health management advice and technical assistance are also provided to farmers who produce mango and citrus fruits for export.