For which fruit crop is the number of chilling hours crucial to its growth?

Chilling hours refer to the period of time during which fruit trees are exposed to temperatures between 0°C and 7°C (32°F and 45°F), which is essential for breaking dormancy and promoting proper bud development in certain temperate fruit crops.

Peaches are particularly sensitive to chilling requirements because they have a specific number of chilling hours needed to ensure that the flowers and fruits set properly in the spring. Insufficient chilling hours can lead to poor fruit development, reduced yields, and uneven flowering, which would ultimately affect the overall viability of the crop.

Apples also require chilling hours, but the threshold can vary and be more flexible compared to peaches. Kiwi and pineapple, however, are subtropical and tropical fruits that do not have the same chilling hour requirements and are less affected by cold temperatures in terms of dormancy and flowering. Instead, kiwi thrives in moderate climate conditions, and pineapple prefers warm temperatures, which makes the chilling hour factor irrelevant for their growth.