Articles
NEW STRATEGIES OF EARLY SELECTION FOR FLOWERING TIME IN ALMOND
Article number
1028_7
Pages
57 – 60
Language
English
Abstract
Late flowering is a critical characteristic for the cultivation of almonds in cold areas, reducing the risk of late frosts.
Therefore, this trait is one of the main objectives of the almond breeding programs.
In these programs, breeders have to wait at least for three years to know the flowering time of the seedlings, so it would be interesting to develop early selection strategies for flowering time.
In this paper we studied the relationships between germination, sprouting and flowering in four families created in 2009 between very early and very late flowering genitors.
In winter, the nuts obtained were stratified without endocarp at 10°C for germination.
Weekly the emergence of the root was noted as the date of germination.
The plants obtained were taken to greenhouse in pots where they grew up till summer.
Then they were taken to a cold chamber at 10°C, where weekly the number of buds sprouted was noted as the leafing time in controlled conditions.
Finally, the plants were taken to the definitive orchard where they remained until in 2013, when the leafing and flowering time was recorded.
According to the high correlation observed between leafing of second sprout in cold chamber and flowering time in the field several years later, our preliminary results propose an interesting method for early selection for flowering time in almond in the nursery, before taking the seedlings to the orchard.
Therefore, this trait is one of the main objectives of the almond breeding programs.
In these programs, breeders have to wait at least for three years to know the flowering time of the seedlings, so it would be interesting to develop early selection strategies for flowering time.
In this paper we studied the relationships between germination, sprouting and flowering in four families created in 2009 between very early and very late flowering genitors.
In winter, the nuts obtained were stratified without endocarp at 10°C for germination.
Weekly the emergence of the root was noted as the date of germination.
The plants obtained were taken to greenhouse in pots where they grew up till summer.
Then they were taken to a cold chamber at 10°C, where weekly the number of buds sprouted was noted as the leafing time in controlled conditions.
Finally, the plants were taken to the definitive orchard where they remained until in 2013, when the leafing and flowering time was recorded.
According to the high correlation observed between leafing of second sprout in cold chamber and flowering time in the field several years later, our preliminary results propose an interesting method for early selection for flowering time in almond in the nursery, before taking the seedlings to the orchard.
Authors
M. Rubio, T. Cremades, F. Dicenta
Keywords
Prunus dulcis, germination time, leafing time, flowering time, early selection
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