Articles
SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF NONINFECTIOUS BUD-FAILURE IN CALIFORNIA ALMOND ORCHARDS
Article number
373_3
Pages
35 – 40
Language
Abstract
Noninfectious bud-failure is a long standing problem in California almond orchards, nursery operations and breeding programs.
Research towards elucidation of its etiology, distribution and origin has occupied much time and effort of the breeding program at the University of California.
The potential to develop BF is inherited from both parents in direct proportion to their BF-potential.
Individual seedlings inherit a characteristic BF-potential which can gradually increase over time as specific cultivars are repeatedly vegetatively propagated.
Eventually BF phenotype trees begin to appear with high or low frequency.
The process of "clonal aging" or "clonal deterioration" is driven by exposure to high summer temperatures and is directly proportion to accumulated °days > 80°F (28°C). A mathematical model has been developed to express the variability of BF within orchards.
Low BF potential in propagation sources can only be measured currently through vegetative progeny testing.
The problem has been effectively controlled in ‘Nonpareil’ through the selection of specific ‘source-clones’ that can be maintained and distributed in a stabilized low-BF potential state as a part of Registration and Certification programs.
A problem with ‘Carmel’ remains.
Genetic potential for BF within a cultivar has been correlated to the segregation pattern of a very severe, precocious BF phenotype in progenies of almond cultivars x pch 40A-17, a specific very early blooming peach genotype.
Progress is being made in the development of a biochemical test for BF involving tests measuring differences of gene expression rather than differences between genes.
Research towards elucidation of its etiology, distribution and origin has occupied much time and effort of the breeding program at the University of California.
The potential to develop BF is inherited from both parents in direct proportion to their BF-potential.
Individual seedlings inherit a characteristic BF-potential which can gradually increase over time as specific cultivars are repeatedly vegetatively propagated.
Eventually BF phenotype trees begin to appear with high or low frequency.
The process of "clonal aging" or "clonal deterioration" is driven by exposure to high summer temperatures and is directly proportion to accumulated °days > 80°F (28°C). A mathematical model has been developed to express the variability of BF within orchards.
Low BF potential in propagation sources can only be measured currently through vegetative progeny testing.
The problem has been effectively controlled in ‘Nonpareil’ through the selection of specific ‘source-clones’ that can be maintained and distributed in a stabilized low-BF potential state as a part of Registration and Certification programs.
A problem with ‘Carmel’ remains.
Genetic potential for BF within a cultivar has been correlated to the segregation pattern of a very severe, precocious BF phenotype in progenies of almond cultivars x pch 40A-17, a specific very early blooming peach genotype.
Progress is being made in the development of a biochemical test for BF involving tests measuring differences of gene expression rather than differences between genes.
Publication
Authors
Dale E. Kester
Keywords
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