ISHS Acta Horticulturae 409: IV International Symposium on Growing Temperate Zone Fruits in the Tropics and in the Subtropics
PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE EFFECTS OF HYDROGEN CYANAMIDE ON BREAKING DORMANCY IN FLOWER BUDS OF JOJOBA (SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS) IN PARAGUAY |
| Author: | Julio G. Spinzi |
| Abstract:
Since 1982, jojoba production has greatly expanded in north western Paraguay, (a tropical-subtropical country), to cover approximately 3 000 ha. Climatic limitations on jojoba production include inadequate winter chilling and low winter-spring rainfall. The chilling requirement for budbreak is not met, and the plant water balance is unfavourable to opening flower buds. The use of hydrogen cyanamide (H2CN2) applied in late winter and combined with adequate water supplementation has been studied, to attempt to improve flower bud break and flowering under these conditions. The trials were carried out in 1992 on 4 cultivars of jojoba between four and seven years old, grown in Jojoba Reta (Chaco), Paraguay. The effects of the concentration and timing of applications of H2CN2 were evaluated. A commercial solution of H2CN2 (DORMEX) was sprayed on plants at 1% and 2% a.i. during two different applications, the first in late August (the earliest treatment), and the second in late September (the latest treatment). All treatments were combined with two cultural practices, plant root aeration and plant irrigation. Preliminary observations suggest that a 1% concentration applied in late September provided the best results. Thus, it appears that H2CN2 is a substitute for chilling, in breaking flower bud dormancy. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
