The origin of the heterogeneity of budding in mild winter regions

Abstract

Under mild winter conditions, temperate fruit trees suffer agronomic problems resulting from budding and flowering heterogeneous. The pattern of evolution of dormancy and budding from peach ‘Redhaven’ was studied with natural inter conditions (CN), partial deprivation of cold (PTF), and total deprivation of cold (PTF). Endodormence of the vegetative buds was characterized by the “one-node cuttings” test. The plants with cold deprivation (PPF and PTF) presented altered evolution
of dormancy and budding rate in relation to CN plants. The budding patterns depended on the endodormence exit patterns of the buds, both in time and space. By the behavior observed in the evolution of dormancy and budding, we can infer that in temperate winter conditions, the budding gradient comes from the growth capacity of buds after leaving the endodormancy, while partial deprivation of cold is the origin of differential evolution of the endodormity of the buds along the branch.