CHILLING REQUIREMENT OF BUDS OF SOME DECIDUOUS FRUITS GROWN IN SOUTHERN JAPAN AND THE MEANS TO BREAK DORMANCY

N. Nishimoto, M. Fujisaki
To grow deciduous fruits in Kagoshima, southern Japan, particularly under plastic cover, the chilling requirements of peach, Nashi (Japanese pear) and grape were assessed over several years using shoot cuttings and potted trees. The chill hours below 7°C were: peach 'Chiyohime, 956 for cuttings and 952 for potted trees; Nashi 'Kosui', 756 and 740; grape 'Kyoho', 714 and 290. Thus, the chilling requirement determined by cuttings and potted trees was similar for peach and Nashi but differed markedly for grape, indicating the importance of using potted vines for grape. In the northern part of Kagoshima Pref., chill hours to the end of March were 1,380, while in the southern parts they were about 520. Thus, the southern parts are not suitable for growing most deciduous fruits, except grape, even in open fields. Application of calcium cyanamide and a foliar applied fertilizer containing NO3-N, P, K and micloelements were very effective in breaking dormancy for grape, slightly effective for Nashi, but ineffective for peach.
Nishimoto, N. and Fujisaki, M. (1995). CHILLING REQUIREMENT OF BUDS OF SOME DECIDUOUS FRUITS GROWN IN SOUTHERN JAPAN AND THE MEANS TO BREAK DORMANCY. Acta Hortic. 395, 153-160
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.1995.395.16
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1995.395.16
Calcium cyanamide, Chilling requirement, Dormancy, Grape, Japanese pear, Peach

Acta Horticulturae