ISHS Acta Horticulturae 409: IV International Symposium on Growing Temperate Zone Fruits in the Tropics and in the Subtropics
DORMANCY IN PEACH TREE UNDER THE TROPICAL CLIMATE OF REUNION ISLAND: BIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL APPROACHES |
| Authors: | P. Balander, R. Rageau, M. Gendraud, M. Bonhomme, E. Parisot |
| Abstract:
A biological test and a biochemical one were used to determine the nature of growth inhibition during 'winter' rest of leaf buds of peach trees cultivated under the tropical climate of the Reunion Island. The 'single node cuttings' test measures the growth capacity of the bud as remaining connected with the adjacent piece of shoot. Thus, measured growth inertia expresses paradormancy as well as endodormancy. The 'nucleotides' test assesses the ability of the isolated bud to increase its nucleoside triphosphate pool subsequently to an exogenous supply; it is an endodormancy marker. Cuttings and buds were sampled from trees of 'Armking' and 'Flordared' cv's grown in orchards at 330 m and 1250 m above sea level, throughout the rest period. Data from both tests showed that in a tropical climate endodormancy does occur in peach tree although it is for a rather short time and can be released even under mild temperatures. Data also showed that bud growth inhibition during the rest period was at first paradormancy, then endodormancy; they support therefore the idea that endodormancy is the result of a gradual shift of the sources of inhibition from remote organs or parts of the tree towards the bud itself. | |
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