ISHS Acta Horticulturae 175: Symposium on Physiology of Productivity of Subtropical and Tropical Tree Fruits
A PHENOLOGICAL CYCLING APPROACH TO TREE CROP PRODUCTIVITY RESEARCH |
| Author: | B.W. Cull |
| Abstract:
In perennial evergreen trees the annual phenological cycle describes a physiological system consisting of many factors operating together or synchronously giving rise to multi-order interactions affecting productivity. The pattern is influenced by species, cultivar, management and environment. This complexity of interactions reduces the probability of relating cause and effect with respect to the total system. Traditional experimentation does not service well this understanding of productivity control nor the development of useful crop management guidelines in a suitable time scale. A structured research approach based on the phenological cycle is described where the annual system is divided into sub-systems, equivalent to the major phases of the cycle. Within each of these sub-systems the research is divided into investigating those physical constraints limiting the normal function of the system and those processes which control the allocation of carbohydrate to productivity mass and quality. | |
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