On-crop Versus Off-crop Cycles

  • Apr 15, 2013

Alternate bearing is a  two-year on-crop/off-crop cycle that results in high-quantity harvests in one year, followed by small-quantity harvests in the next year.

Off-flowering/on-crop cycle

  • A large crop of smaller-sized avocados is harvested.
  • Fruit set and flowering are poor because the fruit inhibit the growth of apical buds on spring shoots that would produce vegetative shoots in summer/fall. This results in less nodes for floral/vegetative shoots the following spring.
  • Shoot growth is strong.
  • Starch is built up.

On-flower/off-crop cycle

  • A small crop of larger-sized avocados is harvested.
  • Fruit set and flowering are strong because there is significant growth of spring and fall shoots. Floral shoots will develop on this new growth the following spring.
  • Shoot growth is weak.
  • Starch is not built up.