Effect of Bioregulators and Removal Method on Bloom Return and Fruiting in Cactus Pear
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Abstract
It is well known that the removing of the spring growth (fruits, flowers and young cladodes) induces reflowering in cactus pear. On the other hand, previous works suggested the role of gibberellins to inhibit flower induction, but its implication in the reflowering potential is little known. The research was determined the implication of gibberellins on the degree of bloom return in cactus pear. Two days before complete removal of spring growth (realized at the full bloom stage), trees were sprayed with water (control), a solution of gibberellic acid (100 mg/l) and a solution of Alar (400 mg/l). In addition, two other treatments with a partial and progressive removal of the spring growth were performed to test the implication of the presence and absence of seeds of young fruits (source of synthesis of Gibberellins) on the reflowering phenomena. Treatments with gibberellic acid reduced significantly reflowering. The reduction was 50% in trees treated with 100 mg/l of GA3. Trees sprayed with the anti-gibberellins Alar showed a similar values with control. However, the highest reflowering rate and cumulative production occurred when a total and progressive removal of spring growth was performed over all the flowering period.
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