WOS: 000386746100062The study was carried out at the experimental area of Pozanti Agricultural Research and Application Center in Adana at 2012 and 2013. Ten years old Francoise peach trees grafted on GF-677 rootstock were used as experimental material. The aim of the present study was to reduce multiple pistil formation usually occurred in early ripening peach cultivars grown in subtropical regions. The high temperatures during flower differentiation are influenced the occurrence of multiple pistil in peaches. Black colored net which had the feature to shade 55%, white colored net with the feature to shade 30%, kaolin and their combinations were applied for the control of high temperatures. The combination of kaolin and black shading system with 55% of light transmission application decreased the temperatures 7.05 degrees C in the flower buds. As a result, the combination of kaolin and black shading system was found to be the best application on decreasing multiple pistil formation for about 68.75% and followed by white net with kaolin application with 62.50% reduction rate compared with control. The results showed that, black shade net with kaolin treatment significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the multiple fruit formation percentages and positive effects were observed on the leaf gas exchange parameters (photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductivity (gS), leaf transpiration rate (E), leaf water use efficiency (WUE), SPAD, quantum yield (PSII) compared with the control plants
