SEASONAL EFFECT OF POTASSIUM CHLORATE ON FLOWERING AND YIELD OF LONGAN (DIMOCARPUS LONGAN LOUR.)

Seasonal effects of potassium chlorate (KClO₃) on flowering and yield of longan were studied by the application of KClO₃ in three distinctive periods of the year: cool (December), summer (April) and rainy (August) season. The results showed that the application of KClO₃ to longan trees in cool season and summer induced 100% flowering compared to 78.5% when applied in rainy season. However, the day from the application to flower emergence (DAFE) in cool season was double that carried out in summer and rainy seasons. The DAFE were 45.4, 23.0 and 22.5 days respectively. Yield per tree of the cool season application (44.00 kg) was higher than those in summer (13.80 kg) and rainy (11.99 kg) seasons.