DECIDUOUS FRUIT TREES IN A WARMING WORLD: THE EFFECT ON REPRODUCTIVE BUD AND FRUITLET DEVELOPMENT CAN BE MONITORED BY ‘MARKER ASSISTANCE HORTICULTURAL PRACTICES’

Current and progressing global warming is expected to change climate in the classic regions of deciduous fruit tree cultivation.
With this scenario in mind, a broader and deeper understanding of the relevant physiological processes regulating fruit production under a warmer climate will allow sustainable fruit growing in world regions that currently still enjoy a temperate climate.
Being a significant and scientifically advanced center of horticulture in a warm-climate region, Israel does considerable efforts in promoting fruit production under warm conditions, and could serve as a natural laboratory for developing special strategies that deal with warm climates.
In this paper we illustrate the new approaches of studying the genetic regulation of flower and fruit formation of deciduous fruit trees in warm regions.
We demonstrate the use of ‘marker assistance horticultural practices’ to predict the effect of high temperature on reproductive bud and fruitlet development.
We conclude that in order to prepare for likely impacts of climate change, efforts should be undertaken to develop: (a) new horticultural practices to cope with the global warming; and (b) ‘marker assistance horticultural practices’ to time the application of horticultural practices in coordination with the relevant environmental cues.

I Workshop on Floral Biology and S-Incompatibility in Fruit Species

M.A. Flaishman, M. Yaari, Y. Peles, Z. Yablovich, S. Golobovich, Y. Dahan, R. Cohen-Peer

flower differentiation, fruit development, global warming, climate change, apple, nectarine

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.967.5