Abstract
Branch bending has been practiced for decades in China to induce flower buds in ‘Fuji’ apple. However, the optimum bending angle is yet to be elucidated. The main objectives of this study were to compare the effect of branch bending angles (70°, 90° and 110°) on the flowering and nutrient accumulation of 1-year-old shoots of ‘Fuji’ and ‘Gala’ apples and to determine the optimum branch bending angle for each cultivar. In both cultivars, the production of spurs and terminal flower buds, and the total sugar concentration and the carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio in the shoot terminals increased, whereas the N concentration decreased with increasing bending angles. The nutrient concentration was significantly higher in spurs than in medium and long shoots. The distinction between the changing patterns of C and N concentrations in the bent shoots during the growing season in our study suggested the competition of these two nutrients caused by vegetative and reproductive growth at different growing times. In ‘Fuji’ apple, the proportion of flowering buds appeared to increase more rapidly with the increase of bending angle from 70° to 110° than that in ‘Gala’ apple, and particularly a higher proportion of spurs was observed on ‘Fuji’ branches bent at a larger angle. The increase in the total sugar concentration and the C/N ratio in the shoot terminals of the bent branches might be involved in inducing floral buds after bending. The optimum bending angle was about 90° for ‘Gala’ apple and 110° for ‘Fuji’ apple, respectively. Bending could help farmers to reduce the severity of biennial fruiting in ‘Fuji’ apple.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akihiro H, Yuka M, Takashi M (2013) Shoot growth and fruit production of ‘Masui Dauphine’ fig trees having high limb position with downward shoots. J Jpn Soc Hortic Sci 82(3):215–221
Bi Y, Liu Y, Zhang P, Sun SK, Zhu XQ, Sao H (2006) Measurement of total sugar concentration by anthrone reagent in soybean whey waste water. Acta Soybean Sin 83:24–25
Brown CS, Young E, Pharr DM (1985) Rootstock and scion effect on carbon partitioning in apple leaves. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 110:701–705
Cheng L, Fuchigami LH (2002) Growth of young apple trees in relation to reserve nitrogen and carbohydrates. Tree Physiol 22:1297–1303
Cheng L, Richard R (2009) Accumulation of macro- and micronutrients and nitrogen demand-supply relationship of ‘Gala’/‘Malling 26’ apple trees grown in sand culture. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 113:693–699
Childers NF, Morris JR, Sibbett GS (1995) Modern fruit science. Horticultural Publications, Gainesville
Costes E, Lauri PE, Regnard JL (2006) Analyzing fruit tree architecture: implications for tree management and fruit production. In: Janick J (ed) Horticultural review, vol 32. John Wiley & Sons Inc, New York, pp 1–61
Elfving DC, Forshey CG (1976) Growth and fruiting responses of vigorous apple branches to pruning and branch orientation treatments. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 101:290–293
Forshey CG, Elfving DC, Stebbins RL (1992) Training and pruning apple and pear trees. ASHS Press/Am. Soc. Hort. Sci., Alexandria, p 166
Goldschmidt-Reischel E (1997) Regulating trees of apple and pear by pruning and bending. Swed J Agric Res 27:45–52
Hampson CR, Quamme HA, Kappel F, Brownlee RT (2004) Varying density with constant rectangularity I: effects on apple tree growth and light interception in three training systems over 10 years. Hortscience 39:501–506
Han HH, Catherine C, Cochard H, Trottier C, Lauri PE (2007) Effects of shoot bending on lateral fate and hydraulics: invariant and changing traits across five apple genotypes. J Exp Bot 58:3537–3547
Ito A, Yaegaki H, Hayama H, Yamaguchi I, Kusaba S, Yoshioka H (1999) Bending shoots stimulates flowering and influences hormone levels in lateral buds of Japanese pear. Hortscience 34:1224–1228
Ito A, Yoshioka H, Hayama H, Kashimura Y (2004) Reorientation of shoots to the horizontal position influences the sugar metabolism of lateral buds and shoot internodes in Japanese pear [Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm.) Nak]. J Hortic Sci Biotechnol 79:416–422
Janick J, Cummins JN, Brown SB, Hemmat M (1996) Apple. In: Janick J, Moore JN (eds) Fruit breeding, vol I, tree and tropical fruits. John Wiley & Sons Inc, New York
Jonkers H (1976) Tree size controls by pruning and bending. Wageningen, Laboratorium voor tuinbouwplantenteelt
Kato I, Ito H (1962) Physiological factors associated with the growth of apple shoots. Tohoki J Agric Res 13:1–21
Lauri PE, Laurens F (2005) Architectural types in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.). In: Dris R (ed) Crops: growth, quality and biotechnology. World Food Limited, Helsinki, pp 1300–1314
Lauri PE, Lespinasse JM (2001) Genotype of apple trees affects growth and fruiting responses to shoot bending at various times of year. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 126:169–174
Lawes GS, Spence CB, Tustin DS, Max SM (1997) Tree quality and canopy management effects on the growth and floral precocity of young ‘Doyenne du Comice’ pear trees. N Z J Crop Hortic Sci 25:177–184
Lord WJ, Damon RA (1983) Growth and fruiting responses of ‘Redspur Delicious’ apple trees to pruning treatments. J Am Soc Sci 108:867–871
Luckwill LC (1970) The control of growth and fruitfulness of apple trees. In: Luckwill LC, Cutting CV (eds) Physiology of tree crops. Academic Press, London, pp 237–254
Meilan R (1997) Floral induction in woody angiosperms. New For 14:179–202
Mika JD (1969) Effects of bending of apple trees on accumulation and translocation of 14C-labelled assimilates. Biol Plant 11:175–182
Moing A, Lafargue B, Lespinasse JM, Gaudillere JP (1994) Carbon and nitrogen reserves in prune tree shoots effect of training system. Sci Hortic 57:99–110
Naor A, Flaishman M, Stern R, Moshe A, Erez A (2003) Temperature effects on dormancy completion of vegetative buds in apple. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 128:636–641
Neilsen D, Neilsen GH (2002) Efficient uses of nitrogen and water in high-density apple orchards. Horttechnology 12(1):19–25
Robbie FA, Atkinson CJ, Knight JN, Moore KG (1993) Branch orientation as a factor determining fruit set in apple trees. J Hortic Sci 68:317–325
Robinson TL (2003) Achieving a balance between vegetative growth and cropping. Compact Fruit Tree 36:33–36
Robinson TL, Hoying SA (2003) Descriptions of orchard planting systems. Compact Fruit Tree 36:50–64
Rom CR (1992) Spur pruning ‘Delicious’ apple for improved spur quality and yield. Acta Hortic 322:55–67
Seok KJ, Hyun SC (2010) Light penetration, growth, and fruit productivity in ‘Fuji’ apple trees trained to four growing systems. Sci Hortic 125:672–678
Stopar M (1998) Apple fruitlet thinning and photosynthate supply. J Hortic Sci Biotechnol 73:461–466
Titus JS (1960) The effect of nitrogen fertilization on the biennial bearing of the ‘Gold Delicious’ apple. Trans Ill State Hortic Soc 93:50–54
Tustin DS, Hirst PM, Warrington IJ (1988) Influence of orientation and position of fruiting laterals on canopy light penetration, yield, and fruit quality of ‘Granny Smith’ apple. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 113:693–699
Wareing P (1970) Growth and its co-ordination in trees. In: Luckwill LC, Cutting CV (eds) Physiology of tree crops. Academic Press, London, pp 1–21
Acknowledgements
The research was supported by the Modern Apple Industry Technology System (MATS).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by B. Zheng.
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, M., Ma, F., Shu, H. et al. Branch bending affected floral bud development and nutrient accumulation in shoot terminals of ‘Fuji’ and ‘Gala’ apples. Acta Physiol Plant 39, 156 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-017-2450-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-017-2450-5