Sampling date

Mulching

Longitudinal diameter/mm

Transverse diameter/mm

Fruit shape index

Peel weight/g

Single fruit weight/g

July 30th

A

control

27.83b

29.86a

28.88^*

29.47

0.96

1.01

8.75a

7.27b

13.34

13.64

Aug. 15th

A

control

33.58b^*

36.27a

34.51

35.71

0.97^*

1.02

12.54

12.67

26.96b

29.49a

Aug. 30th

A

B

Control

37.83

37.62b^*

39.74a

39.33^*

40.18^*

40.48

0.96

0.94

0.98

17.01a

17.50a

15.58b

33.99a

34.94a

33.18b

Sep. 15th

A

B

Control

41.68b

41.69b

43.61a

44.28^*

45.13^*

45.48

0.94

0.92^*

0.96

16.88a

14.69b

17.30a

49.59b

56.11a

57.08a

Sep. 30th

A

B

C

Control

43.23b^*

43.19b

44.32a

45.54a

46.41^*

47.05^*

47.17^*

47.63

0.93

0.92

0.94

0.96

18.32b

16.82c

15.32d

20.15a

63.32b

53.82c

52.48c

73.34a

Oct. 15th

A

B

C

Control

45.72b

45.72b

47.36a

48.75a

50.03

50.65

51.60^?

52.29

0.91

0.90

0.92

0.93

19.98a

18.48b

18.33b

19.96a

71.83b

64.98c

68.32bc

75.98a

Nov. 15th

A

B

C

Control

49.35b

49.37b

50.81a

52.34a

54.27^*

54.87^*

56.93

56.49

0.91

0.90

0.89^*

0.93

18.32c

19.34b

18.27c

23.46a

72.01b

70.02b

69.98b

84.02a