ISHS Acta Horticulturae 394: Plant Bioregulators in Horticulture
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH DENSITY CHERRY ORCHARD ON STANDARD ROOTSTOCKS USING PACLOBUTRAZOL FOR GROWTH CONTROL |
| Author: | Warren E. Somerville |
| Keywords: | Paclobutrazol, Rootstock, Prunus mazzard, Prunus mahaleb, Prunus avium, Growth regulator, Shoot elongation |
| Abstract:
The growth regulator paclobutrazol was used to control vegetative growth sweet cherry varieties grafted on standard rootstocks to see if they could be planted at high density. The aim was to see if paclobutrazol could produce commercial crops of quality fruit in new orchards by the fourth year after planting. In the first season of the trial collar drench treatment was compared to a butt paint treatment (Curry, et al., 1989). Both methods retarded vegetative growth to a similar degree in the season of application but only half of the amount of paclobutrazol was needed for bark paint treatment per tree for a specific degree of growth control. In the second and third seasons of the trail the use of two registered and commercially available surfactants was compared with the WK surfactant (Williams et al., 1986) and the different surfactants had no effect on the amount of growth retardation achieved. All treatments with paclobutrazol resulted in increased fruit bud development on one and two year old shoots. In the season following the season of treatment all paclobutrazol treated trees produced commercial crops. Bark paint treatment with paclobutrazol was as effective as collar drench in retardation of vegetative growth and the induction of cropping. | |
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