Predicting Floral Bud Progression for Three Peach Cultivars

Abstract

The prediction of floral bud progression in commercial peach cultivars promotes knowledge about the adaptability of cultivars to the climatic conditions in a specific location under a climatic variability context. Phenology is relevant to improving the scheduling of cultural practices in peach orchards. This research aimed to predict the floral bud progression of three peach cultivars: ‘Harvester’, ‘Red Globe’, and ‘Rubyprince’. Floral bud progression was assessed using one-year-old shoots collected from an orchard located at the Chilton Research and Extension Center, Alabama. Samples were evaluated under laboratory and growth chamber conditions. We recorded the flower developmental stages daily to identify the transition among stages. Daily temperature records were used to estimate the heat requirement in terms of Growing Degree Days (GDD). After dormancy release, samples needed between 23 to 39 and 37 to 42 days to reach the petal fall stage for season 1 and season 2, respectively. In terms of heat requirements, cultivars needed between 425.5 to 721.5 and 684.5 to 777 GDD to end flowering. A logistic curve was adjusted to describe the growth of the different floral stages over time. The results are key to supporting peach growers in crop management practices such as orchard establishment, irrigation, fertilization, freeze and frost protection, and pollination under climate variability scenarios.