Effects of pre-blossom temperatures on flower development and fruit set in apricot

The influence of pre-blossom temperatures on flower development and fruit set is ascertained in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.), a species without previous records on the effect of pre-blossom temperature on fruit set, but that is particularly prone to erratic fruit set. A polyethylene cage was used during pre-blossom development of flower buds to increase maximum temperatures by 6–7 °C and mean temperatures by 3 °C in orchard conditions. This increase in temperature accelerated flower bud development, caused a hastening in flowering time and following hand-pollination, reduced fruit set. At anthesis, flowers that had developed in warmer conditions weighed less and showed less development of the pistil than control flowers. Pistil growth of flowers under warm conditions did not differ from that of the control flowers when both the populations were compared on a real time scale in spite of the fact that warmed buds were at an advanced external phenological stage. Thus, hastening of external floral development by warm pre-blossom temperatures was not accompanied by advance in pistil development. This lack of synchrony resulted in premature flowering of flowers with underdeveloped pistils that had a reduced capability to set fruit. The results are discussed in terms of flower quality and its implications in fruit set and subsequent crop load.     

The influence of fruiting on the bud sprouting and flower induction responses to chilling in Citrus

Summary

The effect of chilling temperatures on bud sprouting and flower formation was compared on fruiting and non-fruiting ‘Owari’ satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc) trees. On non-fruiting trees, bud dormancy was weak, and a significant proportion of buds were able to sprout at high temperatures without being chilled. Separate effects of low temperatures on bud sprouting and flower induction were demonstrated. On fruiting trees these two effects of low temperatures were also demonstrated on summer-flush buds, but not on older (spring-flush) buds. The spring-flush buds from fruiting trees scarcely sprouted without being chilled. These buds required a longer chilling period for dormancy release than for flower induction, and it was not possible to separate the effect of low temperature on flower induction from the effect on dormancy release. The presence of fruit reduced flower formation by reducing bud sprouting. Furthermore, fruit had a direct inhibitive effect on vernalization which resulted in increased formation of vegetative shoots. The effect of fruit and low temperature on flowering was unrelated to carbohydrate accumulation in the leaves or the roots.     

内源多胺含量对不同杏品种花芽分化及开花期的影响

以"银香白""早熟黑叶杏""串枝红"3个杏品种为试材,观察了杏花芽分化和开花规律,研究了在花芽分化过程中内源多胺(PAs)的含量变化,以期为杏丰产栽培管理提供参考依据。结果表明:在花芽分化期和开花期,3个品种的内源腐胺(Put)和亚精胺(Spd)含量呈规律性变化,均呈先下降后升高的趋势;而精胺(Spm)含量变化相对复杂,未呈现一定的规律。从花芽分化期到花芽露瓣期,3个品种的内源PAs含量呈高低起伏的变化,并在初花期均有一个最高峰,"银香白""早熟黑叶杏""串枝红"内源PAs含量分别为5 747.2、3 048.0、2 433.6nmol·g^-1FW。内源PAs含量对杏花芽分化和成花具有一定的影响,且高水平的Put和Spd有利于杏花芽分化的启动和成花。     

Simultaneous down-regulation of DORMANCY-ASSOCIATED MADS-box6 and SOC1 during dormancy release in Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) flower buds

In temperate deciduous fruit crops such as Prunus spp., bud endodormancy is an important physiological phase affecting the timing of blooming and subsequent fruit development. Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) bears unmixed flower buds, separate from vegetative buds, that bloom slightly more than a month before vegetative bud burst. Seasonal expression of Prunus mume DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-box genes (PmDAMs) has previously been analyzed only in vegetative buds, with an association between these genes and flower bud endodormancy release not yet confirmed. In this study, we performed a seasonal expression analysis of PmDAM1–6 genes in flower buds of two Japanese apricot genotypes – namely, high-chill and low-chill cultivars. The analysis revealed that PmDAM3, PmDAM5, and PmDAM6 expressions are closely associated with dormancy release in both flower and vegetative buds. In addition, a yeast two-hybrid screening demonstrated that PmDAM6 can interact in yeast with the homolog of Arabidopsis SOC1 (PmSOC1). Synchronized expression patterns were detected in PmDAM6 and PmSOC1 during dormancy release in flower buds of the two genotypes. Taken together, these results suggest that the dimer of PmDAM6 and PmSOC1 may play a role in the regulation of dormancy transition and blooming time in Japanese apricot flower buds.     

琯溪蜜柚落花落果特性及养分损失定量化研究

【目的】以福建省平和县特色柑橘品种琯溪蜜柚为实验材料,进行不同分级花的形态和落花落果的养分含量及其脱落损耗的养分定量化研究,以期为蜜柚开花坐果期的养分管理和合理施肥提供科学依据。【方法】在平和县坂仔镇优势种植区选取盛果期琯溪蜜柚(8~15年生),分别开展不同分级花(Ⅰ-Ⅴ级)的形态、生物量、养分浓度特性以及落花落果的动态收集、生物量和养分损耗定量化研究。【结果】琯溪蜜柚花的长度、宽度、长宽比、鲜质量、干质量及含水量特性均随花发育进程(从花蕾到开花,即Ⅰ至Ⅴ级)的增加而显著增加,除开花期(Ⅴ级花)的长宽比接近1.0最小外,且不同分级花的鲜质量增加高于干质量,而开花前花的长度增加高于宽度。同时,不同分级花的养分含量间也差异显著,表现为氮(N)、钙(Ca)和硼(B)含量随琯溪蜜柚花器官生长发育进程而逐渐下降,钾(K)含量则逐渐上升,磷(P)、镁(Mg)、铁(Fe)、铜(Cu)和锌(Zn)含量呈现出先下降后上升的变化,而锰(Mn)含量在各分级花间的变化不显著。另外,琯溪蜜柚开花坐果期的单株落花数、落果数及其生物量分别为2080个、1264个和636.8 g,且均在盛花后41 d达到峰值;定量化落花落果养分损失揭示,单株琯溪蜜柚大中量元素N 21.6 g、P 2.2 g、K 7.7 g、Ca 2.6 g和Mg 1.3 g以及微量元素Fe 36.4 mg、Mn 21.6 mg、Cu 7.5 mg、Zn 33.2 mg和B 28.7 mg被损耗。【结论】基于琯溪蜜柚花生长发育的养分需求和落花落果养分损失特性,生产中应重视开花坐果期的养分管理,探索花量控制措施,及时补充损失的养分。     

桃雌能花品种人工辅助授粉方法的研究

研究了2种人工辅助授粉方式对桃(Prunuspersica)雌能花品种结实率的影响。结果表明:(1)人工喷雾授粉和人工点授均能显著提高桃雌能花品种的结实率,2者差异不显著;(2)人工喷雾授粉时以花粉、蔗糖、蒸馏水的质量比为1∶37.5∶250结实率最高,可达38.39%;(3)人工喷雾授粉时满足产量要求结实率的花粉、蔗糖、蒸馏水最佳质量比为1∶75∶500,盛果期大树进行人工辅助授粉时,采1000个花蕾的花粉可喷洒18株树。     

Fruit set is inversely related to flower and fruit weight in olive (Olea europaea L.)

Fruit weight is strongly correlated to ovary weight in olive as big-fruited cultivars have larger ovaries and flowers at bloom. We tested the hypothesis that larger ovaries imply stronger sinks and therefore reduce fruit set, expressed as number of fruits. Flower/fruit load per centimeter of shoot was assessed every month from flowering to harvest, on sample shoots of many different olive cultivars differing in fruit size. Data were taken for two years: 2007 and 2008. Additionally, in 2008, a fruit thinning experiment was carried out by leaving a single fruit per shoot, to assess the maximum potential fruit weight achievable by each cultivar. Results indicated that fruit size was mostly genetically determined as thinned fruits of small-fruited cultivars, although bigger than control fruits, never got as big as fruits from large-fruited cultivars, confirming that large ovaries are a prerequisite for large fruits. Among all cultivars, the number of flowers per inflorescence, the number of inflorescences, and the number of flowers per centimeter of shoot were not correlated to average flower weight while total flower mass per centimeter of shoot was positively correlated to average flower weight (i.e. large flowered/fruited cultivars had greater total flower mass). However, one month after bloom and thereafter, all parameters were negatively and exponentially correlated with fruit average weight across cultivars, except fruit mass per centimeter of shoot which was generally not correlated to fruit average weight, except in one year, at harvest, when fruit mass per centimeter of shoot was positively correlated to fruit average weight. These results suggest that fruit set is a consequence of, and inversely proportional to flower/fruit size in olive.     

Effect of photoperiod on flower bud initiation and development in myoga (Zingiber mioga Roscoe)

Selection of suitable production locations in Australia and New Zealand for production of myoga (Zingiber mioga Roscoe) has been limited by lack of information on climatic influences on flowering. This study focused on photoperiod as potential production sites within Australia differ considerably in daylength due to the geographical range. The two cultivars available in Australia (Inferior and Superior) were examined in this trial due to previously observed differences in vegetative and reproductive development.Plants grown under long-day conditions (16 h) and short-day conditions (8 h) with a night break produced flower buds, while those under short-day conditions (8 h) did not. The failure of plants under short-day conditions to produce flower buds was due to abortion of developing floral primordia rather than a failure to initiate inflorescences. It was concluded that for flower development in myoga a qualitative long-day requirement must be satisfied, but that flower initiation was day-neutral.Short-day conditions resulted in abortion of flower primordia, premature senescence of foliage and reduced foliage dry weight in both cultivars. Early senescence and low flower bud yield of the Inferior cultivar, but not the Superior cultivar have been observed in crop evaluation trials in Southern Australia and New Zealand. Differences in critical photoperiod between the two cultivars may explain this observation and therefore photoperiodic requirements may be an important consideration in site and planting date selection for different cultivars.     

Effects of fruit load on flower bud initiation and development in peach

Summary

This study aims to quantify the effects of fruit crop-load on flowering and to determine the relationships between flowering and phloem sap carbohydrate and nitrogen content fractions from budding to dormancy in ‘Zincal 5’ nectarine. Fruit load significantly reduced the number of flowers per tree both indirectly, by reducing the number of shoots per tree and the number of nodes per shoot, and directly, by reducing the number of floral buds per node. The intensity of the response depended on the number of fruits developed per tree. Trees that kept all fruits up to senescence flowered 35% less than trees thinned by hand to 40% of fruits at pit hardening, and 55% less than trees completely thinned in bloom by hand. Trees that kept all fruits had significantly lower glucose and sorbitol contents in the phloem sap of mixed branches up to harvest date and full vegetative growth, respectively, but no significant relationships were found between the concentrations of these carbohydrates and flowering intensity in the following Spring. Sucrose and fructose did not show any significant difference in regard to crop-load. In fibrous roots, starch content was not related to fruit load up to dormancy, indicating that starch content is not associated with flower bud induction and differentiation. The nitrate-nitrogen fraction was significantly higher, and the ammonium-nitrogen fraction was significantly lower, in trees that tended to flower less, suggesting some disturbance in nitrate reduction in these trees.     

甘肃桃(Prunus kansuensis)雌雄配子体发育规律及遗传特性的研究

为了了解甘肃桃的早花性与其花芽分化的关系及早花性的遗传能力,以甘肃桃1号(甘肃桃)(Prunus kan-suensis)、96-7(普通桃)(P.persica)、甘肃桃1号×96-7的杂种一代群体(20株)为试材,对材料的生物学特性和花芽分化解剖结构进行了研究。结果表明,1)通过对叶、花、果形态特征观察发现,甘肃桃1号×96-7杂种群体的表现性状趋向甘肃桃1号。2)甘肃桃1号在落叶前形成雄配子体,具有花粉的早熟性。3)杂种群体花芽分化始期及花芽分化特性也趋向于母本甘肃桃1号。     

薄膜温室葡萄花芽分化规律的研究

通过对薄膜温室2～4年生巨峰、无核白鸡心葡萄整个生育期花芽分化的观察,研究薄膜温室葡萄花芽分化的规律。结果表明,巨峰与无核白鸡心在早期升温条件下,花芽分化比例低,二轴分化程度较浅,不能形成完整的花芽;花芽的形成与树体的营养状况有关。花芽分化开始时磷素水平下降明显,蛋白质含量也有下降,二轴分化期后开始回升,磷素水平也显著提高;更新后花芽的分化与叶龄有关,当叶龄达15d时,开始出现花序原基,叶龄达27d时出现二轴分化期,二轴分化盛期为叶龄46d,花芽分化率平均为91.1%。温室巨峰、无核白鸡心葡萄栽培时,花芽需要靠更新后的新梢形成,因此,加强更新后的新梢管理是达到稳产的关键。     

Flower bud atrophy in ‘Baccara’ roses. I. Description of the phenomenon and its seasonal frequency

“Blind” shoot formation in roses is described as being caused by flower bud atrophy. The frequency of the phenomenon is influenced by the location of the bud from which the shoot breaks and by seasonal conditions. The frequency of “blindness” is higher in the winter, and is higher when the shoots are lower on the branch. Winter drop in flower production is not always accompanied by an increased percentage of bud atrophy, since lack of flowering may also be due to a lower rate of bud breaking.The chlorophyll and anthocyanin contents in leaves of flowering shoots are higher than those of non-flowering ones.     

天台山云锦杜鹃的开花与结实特性

 对天台山云锦杜鹃3个种群的花芽发育、花部形态、花生命周期及结实状况等进行野外定位观测, 结果显示: 云锦杜鹃于5月初开花, 花期接近25 d, 花生命周期6 d左右, 其中黄山松林中的云锦杜鹃种群花生命周期最短, 平均为5.8 d, 主要原因是光照时间长, 湿度相对较低, 花形态较小。云锦杜鹃的结实率不高, 结籽率很低, 观云洞种群、黄经洞种群和永字亭种群的平均结籽率分别为35.05%、32.51%和31.93% , 且花生命周期与结实率及结籽率呈显著负相关。另外, 由于光照和湿度等环境因素的差异, 种群间的结籽率也有显著差异。     

Strawberry fruit yield and quality responses to flower bud removal: A simulation of damage by strawberry blossom weevil (Anthonomus rubi)

Summary

The effect of flower bud severing (with scissors) on the yield and fruit quality of strawberry (cv. Elsanta) grown on raised, polythene-mulched beds varied with plant size and numbers of flower buds per plant. On very small plants (with an average of seven flower buds and yielding 105 g of fruit per plant) severing reduced yield in direct proportion to the proportion of flower buds severed, irrespective of whether severing included or did not include removal of the primary (first node) flower bud. There was no evidence of crop compensation. On larger plants (with 24, 70 and 117 flower buds and yielding 0.34 kg, 0.73 kg and 1.16 kg of fruit per plant respectively) severing up to 12 buds per plant did not significantly affect yield: mean berry weight increased by up to 11% and the percentage fruit (by number) in quality class I increased from 67% to 72% in response to severing. Two mechanisms of yield compensation were, apparent i) an increase in mean berry weight, and ii) the maturing of alternative replacement flower buds. Severing slightly delayed by 1–2 d the date by when 10% and 25% of fruit was picked. Implications for the economic damage threshold for flower bud severing by the strawberry blossom weevil are discussed.     

郑州地区甜樱桃花芽形态分化的观察

利用光学显微镜和扫描电镜对甜樱桃品种早红宝石、红灯和拉宾斯的花芽形态分化进行观察。结果表明,(1)花芽形态分化起始期与果实成熟期没有直接相关性。早红宝石、红灯和拉宾斯的花芽形态分化期分别为5月1日—8月20日、5月1日之前—8月10日和5月1日—9月10日。(2)早红宝石和红灯花芽形态分化进程基本一致,比拉宾斯的早10～20d。(3)花芽形态分化速率受温度调节,适宜早红宝石和红灯花芽形态快速分化的温度可能低于适宜拉宾斯花芽形态快速分化的温度。     

桃及其近缘种花芽分化特性的比较

以甘肃桃(甘肃桃1号)(Prunuskansuensis)、新疆桃(喀什2号)(P.ferganensis)、普通桃(青丝)(P.persica)为试材,研究了他们的花芽分化特性。结果表明,甘肃桃、新疆桃和普通桃花芽分化顺序一致,都是按花芽分化始期、萼片原基、花瓣原基、雄蕊原基、雌蕊原基这个顺序分化的,但花芽分化各阶段所持续的时间各不相同。甘肃桃、新疆桃和普通桃花芽分化始期不同。甘肃桃花芽分化始期较早,在6月上、中旬已经开始分化,而新疆桃、普通桃则在6月下旬到7月上旬才开始分化。甘肃桃与新疆桃、普通桃雌配子体发育存在差异,甘肃桃形成胚珠原基后越冬,而新疆桃、普通桃则以子房阶段越冬,春季才形成胚珠原基。     

几种适宜设施栽培果树需冷量的研究

 1996～1999 年, 采用Utah 加权模型, 先后对5 个树种、65 个常见设施栽培果树品种的需冷量及相关特性进行了研究。结果表明: 不同树种、品种的需冷量差异显著, 葡萄、西洋樱桃的需冷量最高, 桃最低, 李、杏居中, 而且年际间有较大差异, 说明作为一种遗传特性, 需冷量亦受环境因素的调节; 同一树种不同品种的需冷量高低与本品种果实的成熟期无明显关系, 果实成熟期早而需冷量较高的情况普遍存在; 同一品种其需冷量基本趋势是花芽高于叶芽; 根系在低温需求进程中起调控作用, 与地上低温同步的根际高温减少了花芽的需冷量, 而根系低温则没有效果。晚秋根外喷布6-BA 降低了油桃和杏的低温需求量, GA₃ 则有增加低温需求量的趋势, 而ABA 无明显效果。     

Stärkeeinlagerung in die Blütenorgane beim Apfel vom Beginn der Blütenknospendifferenzierung bis zur Aufblüte

Starch as an important reserve carbohydrate plays in deciduous fruit species an important role in frost resistance of the wood during winter as well as of flowers during spring frosts. Also during development of flowers the deposition of starch, e.g. in the conducting tissue of the style and in pollen grains is evident. This starch accumulation in the reproductive flower parts seems to be important for fertilization and thus fruit set. The investigations presented should contribute to elucidate the dynamic of starch accumulation in the different organs of a flower bud in apple, from the beginning of bud differentiation until anthesis. The sampled buds were sectioned after embedding in plastic material. Starch accumulation was determined by image analysis. In the four apple cultivars ‘Boskoop’, ‘Elstar’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Pinova’ starch deposition could be observed already shortly after beginning of flower bud differentiation in July/August in the calyx, corolla, anthers and ovary. Until autumn, starch content increased considerably, it showed during winter some fluctuations according to flower organ, and decreased again towards the flowering season, presumately by conversion to sucrose, as shown in the wood in relation to frost resistance. This decrease seems to be related to the energy demand which is needed for flower development, fertilization and early fruit development.