-6- 



Under optimum conditions the rate of fruit growth is so consistent that apple fruit 

 size at harvest can be predicted with reasonable accuracy as early as 35 days after 

 full bloom. However, a period of moisture stress can drastically reduce fruit growth. 

 The amount of growth lost from a soil moisture deficit or some other factor, causes 

 a non-recoverable loss in fruit size. Trickle irrigation is becoming a cost effective 

 practice to prevent loss in fruit size. 



Table 1. The relationship of diameter increase to volume increase of apples (assumed to 

 be perfect spheres). 



When apples grow from 

 diameter % volume 



(inches) increase 



2.50 



i 



2.65 



2.75 



i 



2. 90 



19.1 



17.2 



