Studies of apple bud dormancy and branching under conditions of inadequate winter chilling

Date
2002-12
Authors
Cronje, Paul J. R. (Paul Jacobus Robbertse)
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In order to study the dormancy of apple buds in conditions of inadequate chilling a number of trails were done during 2000 and 2001. Year-old, unbranched shoots of 'Royal Gala', 'Braeburn', 'Cripps' Pink' and 'Granny Smith' apple were harvested randomly from bearing commercial orchards in the Koue Bokkeveld [33°S, 945m, ca.1300 Utah model chili units (CU)) and Elgin (34 "S, 305m, ca.750CU) regions of the Western Cape, South Africa, respectively. Shoots were chilled at 5-rC. Two replicate bundles were removed from the cold room, prepared and forced at 25°C with continuous illumination until budburst had occurred on at least 25% of the shoots per bundle. The change in the rate of budburst over time was calculated for each orchard and to this response; either a linear or a quadratic function was fitted. Poorly correlated variables were selected that best describe these functions. Using these variables, the orchards were separated into cluster groupings that represented a dormancy pattern. The first split separated the lower chilling requirement cultivars from the higher cultivars. The second and third split separated the orchards according to area differences. The clusters representing the warmer area orchards initially entered deeper into dormancy before exiting. The clusters for the colder area immediately had an increased budburst rate. This data confirm that the chilling requirement includes a period of dormancy induction. An important genotype and environment interaction, other than cold unit accumulation, was observed that could be responsible for terminating bud dormancy. Terminal apple buds from 'Royal Gala' Braeburn', 'Cripps' Pink' and 'Granny Smith' apples were cut from orchards in the Koue Bokkeveld and Elgin regions of the Western Cape, South Africa. Buds were harvested every two weeks during the dormant period. The buds were cut in half and leaf scales removed before the water potential were measured. Fresh and dry weights of the buds were also determined. The data presented confirms the changes in availability of free water in dormant buds and that it could be measured in this way. A definite influence of temperature was illustrated. The water potential from buds in a cold production area (Koue Bokkeveld) behaved more "normally" - water is in a bound form during most of the winter and change to an available form later in winter - whereas buds from a warmer production area did not change much in water potential or content. In the trial, two-year-old proleptic-branched shoots, ca. 500mm long, were selected from a 'Royal Gala' orchard in the Koue Bokkeveld region in the Western Cape, South Africa. During the dormancy period of 2000, shoots received two cold treatments; chilling in a cold room at 5-7°C and the natural chilling received in the field. In 2001, the trail was repeated, but only with the field chilling. The shoots received five dormant pruning treatments: control (not pruned), pruning back to the fourth lateral (heading) before or after chilling; and removal of the 2nd and 3rd laterals (thinning) before or after chilling. After pruning and chilling treatments, the shoots were removed from the orchard or cold room every two weeks and forced in a growth chamber. The rate of bud burst (1/days to 50% bud burst) was calculated for the terminal buds of the lateral shoots. Laterals were categorisation according to position: the terminal extension shoot, the 4th lateral, and all other laterals were pooled. Removing distal tissue by pruning (heading more than thinning) promoted bud burst on laterals. Pruning before chilling was more effective than after chilling. The correlative phenomena that inhibit bud burst on proximal shoots within two-yearold branches were manipulated by pruning. The branching response of one-year-old unbranched shoots, 0.5m long, from 'Royal Gala' and 'Cripps' Pink' apple and 'Rosemary' pear were studied after physical manipulation treatments. Shoots for treatment a to d were re-orientated from either a horizontal or vertical position or left in the original position as control, treatment e to h involved the same re-orientation of shoots and were headed. The amount of growth (in mm) from each node was recorded as well as the position from the terminal bud. The 'Cripps' Pink' had a definite shift in the acrotonic branching pattern (for headed and unheaded), towards a more basitonic response. The reduced effect on 'Royal Gala' and 'Rosemary' suggest a difference in genotype response to the treatments as well as time of treatment.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ter wille van die navorsing oor die invloed van gebrekige koue op dormansie van apple knoppe en die gepaardgaande probleme is 'n reeks proewe gedoen gedurende 2000 en 2001. Jaar oue onvertakte lote van 'Royal Gala', 'Braeburn' , 'Cripps' Pink' en 'Granny Smith' appels is ewekansig geoes vanaf komersieële boorde in die Koue Bokkeveld [33°S, 945m, ca.1300 Utah koue eenhede (CU)] en Elgin (34°S, 305m, ca.750CU) omgewings van die Wes Kaap , Suid Afrika. Die lote is daarna verkoel gehou by 5- 7°C. Lote is elke twee weke vanuit die koue kamer geneem en geforseer met 25°C en deurlopend belig. Die aantal knoppe wat groenpunt bereik het is genoteer totdat 25% van die lote begin bot. Die verandering oor tyd vir elke boord is bereken en 'n liniëre of kwadratiese funksie is daarop gepas. Swak gekorreleerde waardes is gekies wat die funksies die beste beskryf. D.m.v hierdie die waardes is die boorde in groepe ingedeel wat 'n dormansie patroon verteenwoordig. Na die eerste vedeeling is die hoë en lae koue behoefte kultivars geskei. In opvolgende verdelings is die boorde verder in die twee areas geskei met elk 'n spesifieke dormansie patroon. Die groepe wat die warmer area se boorde bevat het aanvanklik dieper in dormansie in beweeg voor dit 'n styging in groei potensiaal getoon het. Die groepe vanaf die kouer produksie area het onmiddelik 'n verhooging in bot tempo getoon. Die data bevestig dat 'n koue behoefte 'n periode van dormansie induksie insluit. 'n Belangrike kultivaromgewing- interaksie, ten spyte van koue eenhede akkumulasie, is waargeneem wat verantwoordlik kan wees vir beëindiging van dormansie. Om die verandering van water status in dormante appel knoppe te bestudeer, was die volgende proef uitgevoer. Terminale apple knoppe van dieselfde vier kultivars en vanaf die selfde twee areas in die Wes Kaap as bogenoemde, is elke tweede week gedurende die winter 2001 gesny vanaf komersieële boorde. Daarna is die knoppe middel deur gesny en die skudblare verwyder voor die vars massa gemeet en daarna die waterpotensiaal bepaal is. Die data het bevestig dat daar veranderings in beskikbaarheid van vry water in dormante knoppe gedurende dormansie plaasvind. 'n Definitiewe invloed van temperatuur op waterpotensiaal is geïllustreer. Die waterpotensiaal van knoppe in die kouer produksie area toon 'n meer normale respons (gedurende die winter is die water in 'n gebonde vorm, wat later in die winter na vry water verander). Daar teenoor is daar in die knoppe van die warm produksie area nie veel verandering in waterpotensiaal of water massa getoon nie. Gedurende die winter van 2000 is twee jaar oue proleptiese vertakte 'Royal Gala' lote, ongeveer 500mm lank, gekies vanaf 'n boord in die Koue Bokkeveld. Die lote is verdeel en het twee koue behandelings ontvang. Koue kamer by 5-T'C en natuurlike koue in die boord. In 2001 is net die natuurlike koue behandeling herhaal. Daar is vyf dormante snoei behandeling op die lote gedoen; kontrole (geen), snoei terug tot die vierde lateraal voor en na die koue; verwydering van die 2de en 3de laterale voor en na koue. Na koue en snoei is die lote verwyder en in die groeikamer geforseer by 25°C en met konstante illuminasie. Die tempo waarteen die laterale gebot het is bereken (1\dae to 50% groen punt) waarna die laterale in klasse gedeel is; terminale knop, die vierde lateraal en die res van die laterale saam. Verwydering van distale weefsel d.m.V. snoei verhoog die tempo waarteen laterale knoppe groenpunt bereik. Snoei voor die koue behandeling was meer effektief as daarna. Die korrelatiewe fenomeen wat bot inhibeer van proksimale lote kan gemanipuleer word in die twee jaar apple loot. Die vertakkings gedrag van een jaar oue onvertakte 'Royal Gala', 'Cripps' Pink' apple en 'Rosemary' peer lote, 0.5m lank, is ondersoek na fisiese manipulasies gedoen is gedurende mid winter 2000. Vir die eerste vier behandelings (a,b,c,d) is die lote in 'n horisontale of vertikale possisie gelos as kontrole, of horisontale of vertikale gebuig en daar gehou d.m.v. binddraad. Behandelings e tot h het dieselfde behels maar die lote is ook nog in die helfte deur gesny (getop). Die hoeveelheid groei in mm vir elke node is aangeteken asook die posisie vanaf die terminale knop. Die 'Cripps' Pink' het 'n definitiewe veskuiwing vanaf 'n akrotoniese na 'n basitoniese vertakkingspatroon getoon. Die reaksies op die manipulasies of die gebrek daaraan ('Royal Gala' en 'Rosemary' ) kan 'n aanduiding wees dat genotipes verskillend reageer op die behandelings asook op die tyd wat dit gedoen was.
Description
Thesis (MScAgric)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002.
Keywords
Apples -- Dormancy, Buds, Apples -- Effect of temperature on, Dissertations -- Horticulture
Citation