Spring frost damage to placental tissues in lowbush blueberry flower buds

Frost damage is one of the most important risks of apple production. Outstanding importance has been attributed to the frost resistance of flower-buds as decisive sites of fruit production. Browning of plants parts and tissues exposed to natural weather adversities are considered as effects of frost. In Hungary, frost damage on flower buds of both the market and new cultivars has not been assessed earlier. Observations referring to the consequences of frost damages of over four critical years, marked by their peculiar winter and spring frost hazards. Parallel observations have been made in four sites of the growing area in the Great-Plain region. 67 apple cultivars have been assessed. Each cultivar was represented by 3 trees, which were sampled at about 1-1.5 m height over ground, where the buds or inflorescences were picked for the purpose to assess the injury. The buds and flowers are cut longitudinally and rated visually according to the extent of browning of the organs and tissues. Susceptibility of different organs of the flower (pistils and anthers) were rated separately. According to our results, most resistant to spring frosts are the following cultivars: 'Gloster', 'Granny Smith' and appreciable tolerance is attributed in 'Gala' and 'Jonathan' with derivatives. Preliminary results that among the scab resistant cultivars, `Baujade', 'Rewena', 'Liberty', `Resi' and 'Renora' are rather frost resistant. Information, lacking hitherto, is obtained upon 'Reka' and 'Reglindis' as for their increased susceptibility.

Download Full-text

Freeze Susceptibility of Fruit Buds in 67 Apple cultivars in Hungary

International Journal of Horticultural Science ◽

10.31421/ijhs/10/3/484 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

Author(s):

G. Tóth M.

Keyword(s):

Frost Damage ◽

Fruit Production ◽

Flower Buds ◽

Spring Frost ◽

Apple Cultivars ◽

Apple Production ◽

Spring Frosts ◽

As Effects ◽

Increased Susceptibility ◽

Made In

Frost damage is one of the most important risks of apple production. Outstanding importance has been attributed to the frost resistance of flower-buds as decisive sites of fruit production. Browning of plants parts and tissues exposed to natural weather adversities are considered as effects of frost. In Hungary, frost damage on flower buds of both the market and new cultivars has not been assessed earlier. Observations referring to the consequences of frost damages of over four critical years, marked by their peculiar winter and spring frost hazards. Parallel observations have been made in four sites of the growing area in the Great-Plain region. 67 apple cultivars have been assessed. Each cultivar was represented by 3 trees, which were sampled at about 1-1.5 m height over ground, where the buds or inflorescences were picked for the purpose to assess the injury. The buds and flowers are cut longitudinally and rated visually according to the extent of browning of the organs and tissues. Susceptibility of different organs of the flower (pistils and anthers) were rated separately. According to our results, most resistant to spring frosts are the following cultivars: 'Gloster', 'Granny Smith' and appreciable tolerance is attributed in 'Gala' and 'Jonathan' with derivatives. Preliminary results that among the scab resistant cultivars, `Baujade', 'Rewena', 'Liberty', `Resi' and 'Renora' are rather frost resistant. Information, lacking hitherto, is obtained upon 'Reka' and 'Reglindis' as for their increased susceptibility.

Download Full-text

Second-crop N fertilization improves lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) production

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p02-057 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 83 (1) ◽

pp. 149-155 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

B. G. Penney ◽

K. B. McRae ◽

G. A. Bishop

Keyword(s):

Key Words ◽

Crop Yield ◽

Crop Production ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Ripe Fruit ◽

Flower Buds ◽

Vaccinium Angustifolium ◽

Potassium Nutrition ◽

Lowbush Blueberry ◽

Fruit Abortion

Most commercial blueberry growers follow a 2-yr pruning cycle because second-crop yield in a 3-yr cycle is usually too low for an economical harvest. Research was conducted to determine the extent to which second-crop production could be increased by applying fertilizer in the second-crop year. Treatments, consisting of factorial combinations of N (0, 60 kg ha-1), P (0, 26 kg ha-1), and K (0, 50 kg ha-1), were studied over two 3-yr burn-pruning cycles on a natural lowbush blueberry stand. Treatments were applied prior to, or shortly after, flower buds started to swell in the spring of the second-crop year. Nitrogen increased ripe fruit yield by 65% (3410 vs. 2070 kg ha-1) when compared with plots not previously fertilized with N, and by 43% (3410 vs. 2380 kg ha-1) when compared with plots previously fertilized with N. These results indicate that N might make the second crop economical to harvest. Phosphorus did not significantly affect yield, but K applied in combination with N in the second-crop year negatively affected production and Mg uptake. The increase in yield by N was due to more ripe berries resulting from a higher total (ripe + unripe) number of berries and hastened maturity that increased the percentage of ripe fruit. Reduced fruit abortion is suspected to be the reason for higher berry numbers. In contrast, the negative response to K applications with N was due to reduced total berry numbers. Key words: NK interaction, N × K interaction, potassium, nutrition, fertility, fruit abortion

Download Full-text

Temporal changes of the frequency of spring frost damages in the main fruit growing regions in Western Hungary and in East Hungary

International Journal of Horticultural Science ◽

10.31421/ijhs/18/2/1038 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

Author(s):

L. Lakatos ◽

Cs. Fieszl ◽

Z. Sun ◽

J. Zhang ◽

Z. Szabó ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Fruit Trees ◽

Frost Damage ◽

Frost Tolerance ◽

Spring Frost ◽

Long Period ◽

Fruit Species ◽

Fruit Growing ◽

Spring Frosts

Most of the risk in Hungarian fruit growing is the damage caused by late spring frosts. The frequency of late frosts seems to increase nowadays. The aim of the study was to check this contention: what is the real probability of the damages. Based on earlier experiences, the physiological LT50 function has been elaborated for new fruit varieties, which are eligible to moderate the danger when being threatened by frost. By means of this technique, the probability of freezing is distinguished between frost susceptible, frost resistant and medium frost resistant fruit species and varieties around their blooming time. The degree of frost damage depends on the duration and severity of the low temperature and not at least on the frost tolerance of the plant. For that purpose, the frequencies of frost damages were studied at two Transdanubian and two Trans-Tisza fruit growing sites by means of a meteorological database for the 60-year-long period 1951–2010. Being aware of the LT50 values changing during the phonological phases of the fruit trees from budding, bloom, fruit set and fruit growth, the number and date of critical (frosty) days could be settled. An important role is attributed to the orographic relief and the height above the sea level of the site, as 20–30 m differences and expositions may become decisive within the same plantation. The spatial distribution of damages is also dependent on the air circulations within the Carpathian basin. At the southern and northern borders of the country, especially valley bottoms represent additional risks of frost. Most spring frost damages are experienced in April 20–22, and cause heavy damages by temperature minima between – 3°C and – 6°C. The severity of damage depends largely on the temperature of the preceding few days. The earlier bloom the heavier damage is expected. The study is emphasising the importance of the varieties. Frost tolerance of some varieties may lower the risk of spring frosts by 40–50%, as experienced on the plantations. The quantifi cation of the risks based on data raised during the last years will be suitable to defi ne the security of yields of each growing site successfully.

Download Full-text

Sensitivity of Some Sweet Cherry (Prunus Avium L.) Genotypes To Late Spring Frosts During Different Phenological Stages Following Bud Burst

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1034203/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ozkan Kaya ◽

Cafer KOSE

Keyword(s):

Sweet Cherry ◽

Prunus Avium ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Open Cluster ◽

Frost Damage ◽

Frost Tolerance ◽

Full Bloom ◽

Flower Buds ◽

Spring Frosts ◽

Floral Bud

Abstract Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is one of the economically important fruit crops worldwide. However, late spring frosts occurring in some years can significantly impact sweet cherry productivity through organ and tissue destruction caused by frost damage, and very little is known about frost tolerance or susceptibility of new cultivars. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) was, therefore, used to examine the exothermic characteristics (temperatures at which 50% of the flower buds were killed - mLTE values) of the flower buds belonging to members of the genus Prunus - 6 Prunus avium cultivars ('Noir de Guben', 'Bigarreau Gaucher', 'Merton Late', 'Merton Bigarreau', 'Van' and wild genotype). In the study, mLTE values of flowers of six cherry cultivars were determined at different floral bud developmental stages such as side green, green tip, open cluster, first white and full bloom under laboratory-based freeze assays for consecutive two years. The mLTE values of flower buds changed according to both different floral bud developmental stages and sweet cherry cultivars. In our findings, the mLTE values of flower buds in all cultivars generally occurred at higher temperatures in the open cluster stage, whereas the mLTE values of the flower buds in the first white stage occurred at lower temperatures, and therefore, these results are not only controversial in terms of previous frost tolerance studies, but also the first findings to be reported in literature. Considering the two-year average, the temperatures causing mLTE values for flower buds was -1.58 to -3.74°C at the side green stage, -0.94 to -3.51°C at the green tip stage, -0.41 to -1.96°C at the open cluster stage, -2.30 to -11.52°C at the first white stage and -2.37 to -9.80°C at the full bloom stage in the range of six cultivars. In laboratory-based freezing experiments, the 'Van' cultivar were least affected by low temperatures, followed by 'Bigarreau Gaucher' cultivar and wild genotype. 'Merton Late' cultivar, on the contrary, was the most sensitive cultivar to low temperatures, followed by 'Noir de Guben' and 'Merton Bigarreau'. These results can be valuable in predicting possible frost damage at different developmental stages of the flower buds in sweet cherry.

Download Full-text

Effect of Boron and Calcium on Lowbush Blueberry Fruit Set, Fruit Characteristics, and Yield

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.30.4.881a ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 881A-881

Author(s):

Youzhi Chen ◽

John M. Smagula

Keyword(s):

Boron Concentration ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Positive Response ◽

Lower Number ◽

Water Control ◽

Fruit Characteristics ◽

Flower Buds ◽

Vaccinium Angustifolium ◽

Lowbush Blueberry ◽

Fruit Characteristic

Foliar sprays of B (400 ppm), Ca (4000 ppm), B (400 ppm) + Ca (4000 ppm), or water (control) were applied in Sept. 1993 to treatment plots of 12 lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) clones having low leaf B concentrations (<20 ppm). Boron concentration was raised in stem and bud tissue 3 months after application, but Ca concentration was unaffected. Twenty randomly selected stems with four flower buds were tagged in each treatment plot in Apr. 1994 to determine treatment effects on fruit set and fruit characteristics. Blossoms on tagged stems were counted in late May and a count of initial fruit was taken in early July. Initial fruit set was reduced slightly by the Ca treatment, which also resulted in a lower number of flowers per bud. Tagged stems were cut before plot harvest and stored at –15C for final fruit set and fruit characteristic measurements (fruit number, diameter, weight, and firmness, and seed number and size). Treated plots were harvested and weighed in August. Boron and Ca treatments did not increase yields averaged across all clones, but some clones showed a positive response. Yield of Ca-treated plots was significantly lower than the plots without Ca treatment. Effect of treatments on final fruit set and fruit characteristics will be presented.

Download Full-text

Bud-autogamy in the velvet-leaf blueberry, Vaccinium myrtilloides Michx.

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p04-118 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 86 (1) ◽

pp. 245-250 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Merrit Noormets ◽

A. Randall Olson

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Key Words ◽

Seed Set ◽

Full Bloom ◽

Flower Buds ◽

Bud Development ◽

Self Pollination ◽

Lowbush Blueberry ◽

Pollen Tetrad ◽

Vaccinium Myrtilloides

In velvet-leaf blueberry, Vaccinium myrtilloides Michx., flower buds at different stages of development were collected from managed, lowbush blueberry populations and examined microscopically for evidence of autodeposition of selfpollen. During late bud development, anther pores opened for pollen tetrad release and remained relatively close to the stigma. Just prior to full bloom, at petal separation, 18% of the flower buds were pollinated. Self-pollination prior to anthesis may either ensure some reproductive success or enhance the seed set from subsequent cross pollinations. Key words: Vaccinium, autogamy, self-pollination

Download Full-text

Herbicidal weed control and crop-year NPK fertilization improves lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) production

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p99-080 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 80 (2) ◽

pp. 351-361 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

B. G. Penney ◽

K. B. Mcrae

Keyword(s):

Key Words ◽

Weed Control ◽

Past Research ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Ripe Fruit ◽

Flower Buds ◽

Vaccinium Angustifolium ◽

Lowbush Blueberry ◽

Fruit Abortion ◽

Npk Fertilization

Past research has shown that fertilizer applied in the vegetative year can increase yield, but not always. Fertilizer applied in the crop year without weed control also has been shown to increase yield. The present study, conducted on a natural lowbush blueberry stand for 8 yr, compared the effects of factorial combinations of two rates each of N (0, 60), P (0, 26), and K (0, 50 kg ha−1) applied either in the vegetative or crop year, with or without weed control. Greatest production was obtained with weed control, which increased ripe fruit yield by 247% over that from plots without weed control. Nitrogen alone or P and K with N also increased yield, but only when applied in the crop year to weed-controlled plots. Phosphorous or K alone was of little benefit. Nitrogen increased ripe fruit yield from 3910 (unfertilized plots with weed control) to 4440 kg ha−1 and in combination with P and K to 5520 kg ha−1. Yield increases from weed control and N were due to increased berry weight and hastened maturity, but weed control also increased total berry number. The increase by P and K was due to an increase in total and ripe berry numbers. Nitrogen applied in the vegetative year, although producing more flower buds m−2 than when applied in the crop year, gave lower yields. Fruit abortion, due to insufficient nutrients in the crop year, particularly N, is suspected to be the reason for the reduced yield. Key words: Lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium, yield flower buds, weed control, fertilizer, herbicide

Download Full-text

Response of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) to hexazinone applied early in the fruiting year

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p01-188 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 82 (4) ◽

pp. 781-783 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

K. I. N. Jensen ◽

E. G. Specht

Keyword(s):

Key Words ◽

Weed Control ◽

Corolla Tube ◽

Growth Stages ◽

Vaccinium Angustifolium ◽

Floral Buds ◽

Perennial Weeds ◽

Lowbush Blueberry ◽

Herbaceous Perennial

Spring application of 1.0 kg ha-1 hexazinone to fruiting-year lowbush blueberry no later than the F3 floral stage, when floral buds separate, but before the corolla tube shows white, controlled some common herbaceous perennial weeds without injury to the crop. Key words: Herbicide injury, growth stages, weed control, hexazinone, Vaccinium angustifolium

Download Full-text

Spring frost effects on 30 sweet cherries varieties grown in North Italy

International Journal of Horticultural Science ◽

10.31421/ijhs/16/4/913 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

Author(s):

A. Roversi ◽

E. Pattori ◽

G. L. Malvicini ◽

S. Sbaruffati

Keyword(s):

Sweet Cherry ◽

Frost Damage ◽

Flowering Stage ◽

Full Bloom ◽

Absolute Minimum ◽

Spring Frost ◽

Sweet Cherries ◽

Fruit Harvest

After a spring frost occurred in second half of March 2008, with temperatures below 0°C for 8 days consecutively and an absolute minimum of -5.5°C, a lot of observations have been made on the sweet cherry flowers damages. In three different orchards “Italian palmetta” trained on grassing ground soil, the percentage of the flowers killed by frost, was detected and recorded considering the different genotypes and flowers height from the ground. Furthermore, in one orchard only it was possible to find relationship between flowering stage and frost damage. The results clearly confirm our previous works about the highest mortality of the flower in the upper part ( > 1.50 m) of the canopy and in the full bloom open flowers. So, in this area, the easiness of agronomic operations, like pruning and, especially, fruit harvest, due to the crown proximity to the ground, is cancelled by the frequency of spring frost.

Download Full-text