ISHS Acta Horticulturae 275: International Symposium on the Culture of Subtropical and Tropical Fruits and Crops
DOES PACLOBUTRAZOL HAVE A ROLE IN LYCHEE CULTURE? |
| Authors: | C.M. Menzel, D.R. Simpson |
| Abstract:
The effects of foliar (4 g L-1) and soil (1 g m-2 tree ground cover) applications of paclobutrazol during autumn on vegetative flushing and incidence of flowering of 3 lychee (Litchi chinensis) cultivars (Bengal, Kwai May Pink and Tai So) were investigated over 3 years at 8 sites in subtropical southern Queensland, Australia. Cultivars at these sites varied in the level of vegetative flushing prior to panicle emergence in May-August (0–100% of terminal branches) and flowering in spring (0–100% of terminal branches). Paclobutrazol restricted vegetative flushing before panicle emergence and promoted flowering when the trees would have bloomed lightly (< 70% of terminal branches flowering), although the responses were sometimes weak when the trees were very vigorous in vegetative growth (< 30% of terminal branches flowering). Paclobutrazol had no significant effect or slightly reduced flowering when the trees would have flowered heavily (70–100%). Further experiments are required to demonstrate the commercial benefits of paclobutrazol in lychee. | |
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