Vol. 81 No: 3

Title:
Does dry matter partitioning to fruit in early- and late-ripening peach (Prunus persica) cultivars confirm the branch autonomy theory?

Authors:
E. NICOLÁS, F. LESCOURRET, M. GÉNARD, C. BUSSI and J. BESSET

pp: 444-448

Abstract:
We studied dry matter partitioning to fruit by establishing different patterns of fruit distribution between and within main branch units (scaffolds) on early (cv. ´Alexandra`) and late (cv. ´Suncrest`) maturing cultivars of peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch). The desired fruit loads were obtained by differential thinning of scaffolds and the commercial crop-load per tree was maintained. Each tree had four main scaffolds, one of these scaffolds was lightly thinned (Highcrop scaffold), another one was heavily thinned (Low-crop scaffold) and the different fruit bearing stems (FBS) were alternately lightly thinned or heavily thinned in two scaffolds (Alternative-scaffold). Growth of fruits and of leafy shoots on all FBS were measured periodically from hand-thinning 30 and 50 days after full-bloom (DAFB) until harvest for cvs. ´Alexandra` and Suncrest, respectively.The mean fruit dry weight (DW) per FBS was strongly affected by fruit distribution between and within scaffolds in the late cv. ´Suncrest`, indicating that branch autonomy was functional at the level of FBS in this case. In the early cv. ´Alexandra`, mean fruit DW per FBS in each scaffold was similar, suggesting C-transfer between individual FBS. Branch autonomy could not be explained by fruit sink-strength being equal in both cultivars. In contrast to generative growth, vegetative growth was similar between scaffolds in both cultivars suggesting its independence from fruit sink removal.

Full text: JHSB Subscribers     ISHS members & other users
(PDF 117480 bytes)

Go back to previous page