FRUIT CROP INCREASE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The application of Flurprimidol for increasing fruit crops of certain kinds of fruit. The active material is applied in one kind of crop at the blooming stage, and in another it is used for attaining an earlier ripening of the fruit, making possible earlier marketing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The compound known as Flurprimidol (alpha-1 (1-methylethyl)-alpha- (4- trifluoromethoxy) phenyl)-5-pyrimidinemethanol (CUTLESS) is extensively used as growth suppression agent of a wide variety of trees, shrubs, ornamental plants, lawns, etc.

The present invention relates to an entirely different application of Flurprimidol, which gives surprising results with agricultural crops.

The yield of avocados in Israel is relatively low, around 10 MT/ha, in spite of large planted areas, big numbers of flowers per tree and special manner of planting the tress to facilitate cross pollination and fertilization.

Experiments carried out with compositions of the invention dramatically increased fruitset and thus increase the numbers of fruit per tree.

Persimmon fruit ripen during the autumn, and frequently rain sets in before harvesting. There are occurrences when fruit are damaged by hail and the fruit are prone to attack by Alternaria.

Experiments have demonstrated that the application of compositions based on Flurprimidol results in an earlier ripening of the fruit and a change of color which also enables early picking of the fruit.

EXAMPLES I-AVOCADO 1 AVOCADO IN SASA This trial carried out to check the efficacy of CUTLESS in increasing fruitset in Avocado variety Fuerte.

The Treatments Cutless 0.7% Cutless 1.0% Control-untreated Application Date April-when the trees were in full blooming stage.

Spray Volume 1000 1/ha.

The Results The Treatment The Yield kg/ha % of control Cutless 0.7% 13260 415.7 1 Cutless 1% 15430 483.7 Control-untreated 3190 100 Cutless 0.7% and 1% increased the yield in comparison with the control. There was no phytotoxic damage to the trees or the fruits.

2 AVOCADO IN SHEFAIM This trial was carried out to check the efficacy of Cutless in increasing fruitset in Avocado variety Fuerte.

The Treatments Cutless 0.25% Cutless 0.5% Cutless 0.75% Cutless 1.0% Control-untreated Application Date April-when the trees were in full blooming stage.

Spray Volume 1000 1/ha.

The Results The Treatment The Yield kg/ha % of no'of % of control fruits control Cutless 0.25% 23150 268.6 370 298.4 Cutless 0.5% 17080 198. 1 270 217.7 Cutless 0.75% 20480 237. 6 338 272.6 Cutless 1.0% 15910 184. 6 218 175.8 Control-untreated 8620 100 124 100 Cutless 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1.0% increased the yield and number of fruits in comparison with the control. There was no phytotoxic damage to the trees or the fruits.

3 AVOCADO IN SHEFAIM This trial was carried out to check the efficacy of Cutless in increasing fruitset in Avocado variety Fuerte.

The Treatments Cutless 0.25% Cutless 0.5% Control-untreated Application Date April-when the trees are in full blooming stage.

Spray Volume 1000 1/ha.

The Results The Treatment The Yield kg/ha% of control Cutless 0.25% 9600 129 Cutless 0.5% 13920 187 Control-untreated 7440 100 Cutless 0.25% and 0.5% increased the yield in comparison with the control.

There was no phytotoxic damage to the trees or the fruits.

4 AVOCADO IN EIN HACHORESH This trial was carried out to check the efficacy of Cutless in increasing fruitset in Avocado variety Fuerte.

The Treatments Cutless 0.25% Cutless 0.5% Cutless 1.0% Control-untreated Application Date April-when the trees were in full blooming stage.

Spray Volume 1000 1/ha.

The Results The Treatment The Yield kg/ha % of control Cutless 0.25% 22750 118.9 Cutless 0.5% 23750 124.2 Cutless 1.0% 22510 117.7 Control-untreated 19130 100 Cutless 0.25%, 0.5% and 1.0% increased the yield in comparison with the control. There was no phytotoxic damage to the trees or the fruits.

5 AVOCADO IN ACKO FARM This trial carried out to check the efficacy of Cutless in increasing fruitset in Avocado variety Fuerte.

The Treatments Cutless 0.1% Cutless 0.2% Cutless 0.4% Control-untreated Application Date April-when the trees were in full blooming stage.

Spray volume: 1000 1/ha.

The Results The Treatment The Yield X kg/ha % of control Cutless 0.1% 20740 106.2 Cutless 0.2% 21320 109.2 Cutless 0.4% 21320 109.2 Control-untreated 19520 100 Cutless 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.4% increased the yield in comparison with the control. There was no phytotoxic damage to the trees or the fruits.

II-PERSIMMON 1 PERSIMMON IN EIN ZURIM This trial carried out to check the efficacy of Cutless in fruit ripening earliness of Persimmon fruits.

Variety: Triumph, 15 years old.

The Treatments Cutless 2 grams/tree Cutless 4 grams/tree Cutless 8 grams/tree Control-untreated Application Date Month of May-The product was spread under the drip irrigation system of each tree.

The Results TREATMENT COLOR ASSESSMENT (1-10) * YIELD 20.10.93 KG/TREE Cutless 2 grams/tree 7.0 76 Cutless 4 grams/tree 6.4 60.6 Cutless 8 grams/tree 8.4 91.6 Control-untreated 1.5 62.6 *1=green fruit, 10= orange color fruit.

All the fruits from the Cutless treated trees were picked on the first picking day on 20th October. The fruits from the untreated trees were picked later on 10th November (when the fruits reached the right orange color). Then.: was no effect of the treatments on fruit diameter or weight. There was no phytotoxic damage to the trees or the fruits.

2 PERSIMMON IN EIN ZURIM This trial carried out to check the efficacy of Cutless in fruit ripening earliness in Persimmon fruits, variety Triumph.

The Treatments Cutless 2 grams/tree Cutless 4 grams/tree Cutless 8 grams/tree Control-untreated Application Date Mid-May-The product was spread under the drip irrigation system of each tree.

The Results TREATMENT COLOR ASSESSMENT (1-10) * YIELD 20.10.94 KG/TREE% OF CONTROL Cutless 2 grams/tree 7.4 33. 5 117.5 Cutless 4 grams/tree 7.8 27. 0 94.7 Cutless 8 grams/tree 1 Control-untreated 1.0 28.5100 *1=green fruit, 10= orange color fruit.

All the fruits from the Cutless treated trees were picking on the first picking day 20th October. The fruits from the untreated trees were picked later on 1st November to 21 November (when the fruits reached the right oronge color).

There was no phytotoxic damage to the trees or the fruits.

The above description is by way of illustration only and the invention extends to the use of compositions containing as active ingredient Flurprimidol (CUTLESS) in other different fruit trees for increasing fruit crops and to result in earlier ripening.