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A comprehensive overview of the spatial and temporal variability of apple bud dormancy release and blooming phenology in Western Europe

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An Erratum to this article was published on 03 August 2012

Abstract

In the current context of global warming, an analysis is required of spatially-extensive and long-term blooming data in fruit trees to make up for insufficient information on regional-scale blooming changes and determinisms that are key to the phenological adaptation of these species. We therefore analysed blooming dates over long periods at climate-contrasted sites in Western Europe, focusing mainly on the Golden Delicious apple that is grown worldwide. On average, blooming advances were more pronounced in northern continental (10 days) than in western oceanic (6–7 days) regions, while the shortest advance was found on the Mediterranean coastline. Temporal trends toward blooming phase shortenings were also observed in continental regions. These regional differences in temporal variability across Western Europe resulted in a decrease in spatial variability, i.e. shorter time intervals between blooming dates in contrasted regions (8–10-day decrease for full bloom between Mediterranean and continental regions). Fitted sequential models were used to reproduce phenological changes. Marked trends toward shorter simulated durations of forcing period (bud growth from dormancy release to blooming) and high positive correlations between these durations and observed blooming dates support the notion that blooming advances and shortenings are mainly due to faster satisfaction of the heating requirement. However, trends toward later dormancy releases were also noted in oceanic and Mediterranean regions. This could tend toward blooming delays and explain the shorter advances in these regions despite similar or greater warming. The regional differences in simulated chilling and forcing periods were consistent with the regional differences in temperature increases.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to extend their thanks to INRA in Angers and Marco Fontanari in Trento for collecting the blooming dates. We also wish to thank the San Michele Foundation for the temperature collect in Trento.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, UMR AGAP, Avenue Agropolis, 34398, Montpellier Cedex 5, France

    Jean Michel Legave

  2. INRES - Horticultural Science, Universität Bonn, auf dem Hugel 6, 53121, Bonn, Germany

    Michael Blanke

  3. Agroscope Changins-Wädenswill, 1964, Conthey, Switzerland

    Danilo Christen

  4. CRA, Unità di Ricerca per la Frutticoltura, via La Canapona 1bis, 47121, Forlì, Italy

    Daniela Giovannini

  5. Ctifl, Centre de Balandran, 30127, Bellegarde, France

    Vincent Mathieu

  6. CRA-W, Agriculture et Milieu naturel, 9 rue de Liroux, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Robert Oger

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  1. Jean Michel Legave
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  2. Michael Blanke
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  3. Danilo Christen
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  4. Daniela Giovannini
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  5. Vincent Mathieu
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  6. Robert Oger
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Correspondence to Jean Michel Legave.

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Legave, J.M., Blanke, M., Christen, D. et al. A comprehensive overview of the spatial and temporal variability of apple bud dormancy release and blooming phenology in Western Europe. Int J Biometeorol 57, 317–331 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-012-0551-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-012-0551-9

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