Effects of Low-Temperature Accumulation on Flowering of Prunus mume

Abstract

Low-temperature accumulation is one of the essential stages in the growth process of woody ornamental plants. In this study, two different low-temperature treatments, 6 °C and 10 °C, were used to analyze the effects of different low-temperature treatments on dormancy release and flowering of the ‘Gulihong’ plant using artificial low temperatures. Based on the experimental results, four typical early-blooming Prunus mume cultivars widely planted in Yangling area of Henan Province, China, including ‘Zaoyudie’, ‘Zaohualve’, ‘Nanjing gongfen’, and ‘Gulihong’, were selected as the experimental materials. The effects of low-temperature accumulation on the flowering characteristics of different cultivars were analyzed using a 6 °C artificial low-temperature treatment. The suitable cultivation temperature for early-blooming cultivars was screened to provide a theoretical basis for further exploration of P. mume bonsai cultivation techniques. The results showed that the flowering rate, flower diameter, flowering quantity, flowering uniformity, and bud development in the 6 °C treatment were significantly better than those in the 10 °C treatment. Furthermore, under 6 °C low-temperature treatment, the flowering rate and quality of different cultivars showed an increasing trend with the accumulation of low temperature, with ‘Gulihong’ exhibiting the highest flowering rate. Therefore, chill accumulation plays a significant role in promoting flowering quality.