As a consequence of the reduction of flowering intensity by
GA3 sprays, there was also a reduction in the time spent on hand
thinning (Table 1). It was reduced by 35–45% and 35–55% for
concentrations of 50 and 75 mg l1, respectively, both for
peach and nectarine, when pressurised handgun was used, and
by 55 and 65% for 100 and 150 mg l1 of GA3, respectively,
when turbo-sprayer was used in nectarine. For pressurised
handgun, higher concentrations of GA3 (75–100 mg l1) did
not reduce significantly the time spent on hand thinning. For
turbo-sprayer, 200 mg l1 GA3 reduced it by more than 90%,
but the drastic reduction in fruit number per tree due to this
concentration makes it inapplicable.