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EFFECTIVE HYDROGEN CYANAMIDE (DORMEX®) APPLICATION FOR BUD BREAK, FLOWERING AND NUT YIELD OF PISTACHIO TREES CV. MATEUR IN WARM GROWING AREAS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2013

MOHAMED GHRAB  and
MEHDI BEN MIMOUN
MOHAMED GHRAB*
Affiliation:
Institut de l'Olivier, BP 1087, Sfax 3000, Tunisia
MEHDI BEN MIMOUN
Affiliation:
Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie, 43 Av. Charles Nicolle, Tunis 1082, Tunisia
*
‡Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Summary

Climate change characterized by global warming is expected to have an incidence on fruit trees’ development and production. The severity of these effects depends on lack of chilling. The current study focused on the research of an optimal dose of hydrogen cyanamide (Dormex®) treatment which can advance the bud break of female pistachio trees (Pistacia vera L.) to ensure better blooming synchronization with pollinators. A field experiment was conducted in northern Tunisia (36°49′N, 9°48′E) on mature pistachio trees. Two hydrogen cyanamide treatments at 2% and 4% Dormex® were applied with reference to the control untreated trees. The flowering time, vegetative growth, starch content, productivity and nut characters were followed. Results show that 4% Dormex® advanced the normal bud break by 15 days and flowering by 11 days and improved natural pollination by synchronization of male and female flowers. Consequently, fresh yield and nut quality as split and blank rates and nut weight were improved. However, shoot growth, leaf area and starch content in current shoot seemed unaffected by hydrogen cyanamide applications. In conclusion, hydrogen cyanamide could be used as 4% Dormex® and sprayed 45 days before bud break to improve pistachio productivity and prevent anomalies of lack of chilling due to global warming that could be more frequent in the Mediterranean areas.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 50 , Issue 3 , July 2014 , pp. 398 - 406
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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