DORMANCY RELEASE IN PEACH BUD DORMANCY AS RELATED TO CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

As the Utah model did not give good results when tested in Italian climatic conditions a research project to develop a more suitable model was begun.

Dormancy release was evaluated either by forcing one year old shoots cultivar "Springcrest" sampled from three different latitudes or by determining flower bud weight evolution.

Appreciable differences on the advances of bud release from dormancy were found.
In particular less chill units were required from the flower buds to reach the max % of bud break (BB) from the lower latitude.
Moreover GDH C accumulation for the same level of bud break or for the same number of CU was variable with latitude being higher at the lowest.
Temperature sequence and level seem to influence bud response.
In particular temperatures below zero °C could be responsible for bud break inhibition if they occur at an advanced stage of bud dormancy release.

Peach, XXIII IHC

G. Scalabrelli, L. Di Marco, R. Messina, E. Peterlunger

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1992.315.23