Climatic adaptation of pear cultivars in Southern Brazil and its effects on floral bud abortion

Abstract

Brazil imports almost all pear fruits necessary to supply it's need. The insufficient local pear production is due to the lack of climatic adaptation of the currently planted cultivars. Most of them are from colder climates compared to that of Southern Brazil. It is supposed that the lack of chilling hours and the daily temperature fluctuation during the winter are the main factors involved on biochemical and physiological process changes. This results in
reduction of floral buds/tree, low number of flowers/floral bud, necrosis and even drop of buds. These symptoms are known as ‘bud abortion' or ‘bud necrosis'. This paper discusses this subject and suggests to carry out more research and to breed new high fruit quality pear cultivars that have lower chilling requirement and tolerance to daily
temperature fluctuations, very common in Southern of Brazil.