On-crop Versus Off-crop Cycles
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.