Cell division and intense competition for available resources is characteristic of early peach fruit growth and development. To better understand this period, three studies were performed. Thinning (fruit-load removal) trials were performed during the first stage of fruit development to determine the effect of its timing and intensity on fruit size, yield and quality. Early thinning increased fruit size but reduced overall yields. Hence, performing fruit thinning after the threat of freeze may be a better option for Georgia peach production. Models predicting average fruit size at harvest and the fruit development period were developed using chilling unit accumulation and early spring temperature data, among other parameters. Transcript abundance of three genes associated with cytokinin metabolism was determined during early fruit growth. Among these, LONELY GUY (LOG) expression was generally higher during initial stages of fruit growth suggesting that cytokinin activation by its gene-product regulates cell division during early growth.
