Long-term effects of (2RS, 3RS)-paclobutrazol on vegetative and fruiting characteristics of sweet cherry spurs |
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| Authors: | P- E Lauri |
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| Institution: | Laboratoire d’Arboriculture Fruitière, I. N. R. A., 2, place Viala, 34060 Montpellier Cedex 01, France |
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| Abstract: | The long-term effects of an overall foliar paclobutrazol application (750 mg a. i. per tree) was tested on sweet cherry spur growth and fruiting. Leaves and fruits were counted on spurs situated on long upright shoots, during the year of treatment and in the following two years. Paclobutrazol significantly increased the mean number of leaves per spur during the three year study. It also significantly increased the number of fruits per spur on three year old spurs, whereas no differences were observed on two year old spurs. Furthermore, the chemical treatment led to a significant increase in the number of fruits per corymb at the base of one year old long shoots. Otherwise, paclobutrazol appeared to induce spur ramification in the year of treatment. The same year, these ramifications, which did not bear fruits, accounted for 16.5% of the total number of spur leaves. This phenomenon was probably due to a direct action of the chemical spray since almost no new ramifications were produced the following years. In addition to the known retardation of extension shoot growth, foliar application of paclobutrazol thus appeared effectively to enhance leaf and fruit production of the spurs, not only in the year of treatment but also during the two following years. |
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