Volume 56 Number 2 Article 15
Year 2002 Month 4
Title: Japanese Plum (Prunus salicina L.) Fruit Growth: Seasonal Pattern of Source/Sink Limitations
Authors: B. Basile, M.J. Mariscal, K.R. Day, R.S. Johnson and T.M. DeJong
Abstract:
The seasonal pattern of Japanese plum (Prunus salicina L.) fruit growth and source/sink limitations
to fruit growth were analyzed by a functional approach.
The study was based on the comparison between unthinned and heavily-thinned trees of two plum cultivars, 'Black Amber' and 'Royal Diamond'
(early- and late maturing cultivars, respectively). Individual fruit size, expressed as fruit dry weight, was
significantly higher in trees with lower crop loads.
The analysis of the relative growth rate patterns in
dicated that plum fruit growth is limited by resource and genetic limitations (source and sink limitations,
respectively). Both plum cultivars appeared to have a source-limited fruit growth period occurring in
the stage I of the double-sigmoid fruit growth curve and a sink-limited stage occurring during the stage
II. Although the fruits of the early-maturing cultivar accumulated less dry matter during their developmental time, compared to those of the late-maturing cultivar, they appear to have a higher potential net
sink strength during their growth period.
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