ISHS Acta Horticulturae 527: International Symposium on Growth and Development of Fruit Crops
FLOWERING AND FRUITING CHARACTERISTICS OF ‘STANLEY’ PLUM |
| Authors: | John M. Wells, Martin J. Bukovac |
| Keywords: | Prunus domestica L., flower differentiation, spur development, fruit set |
| Abstract:
Flower bud differentiation was studied by scanning electron microscopy and flower and fruit distribution among reproductive structures (lateral buds, spurs, elongated spurs and branches) was described relative to age of wood. The first morphological evidence for flower bud initiation on spurs was evident about 60 days after full bloom. During the subsequent 60 days, the flower primordia differentiated to where all externally apparent flower components (sepals, petals, stamens, pistil) were apparent. The greatest intensity of flowering nodes and flowers were found on 2- and 3-yr-old wood. With increasing age of wood, flowering on spurs increased from year two to three and then decreased on 4-yr-old wood. This shift was accompanied by an increase in flowering on elongated spurs and branches. Total number of flower buds on spurs increased with age of wood, but not on elongated spurs. The number of flower buds per each fruiting structure increased with age of wood. The number of flowers produced per bud (1.6 to 1.9) was not significantly different among reproductive structures regardless of age of wood. Fruit set was not significantly different as related to reproductive structure and age of wood. | |
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