Flower initiation, fruit set and yield of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) var. 'Roengrean' sprayed with Sadh, Paclobutrazol and Ethephon
1988
Muchjajib, S.
Foliar application of ethephon at 1.0 mM paclobutrazol at 1.5 mM foliar significantly increased the percentage of flowering by 88.7 and 88.2 percent, respectively. The control trees had 75.10 percent flowering. Paclobutrazol sprayed at 1.5 mM is the optimum concentration to produce the highest yield (9.7 ton/ha) followed by SADH sprayed at 45.0, 15.0 mM and paclobutrazol at 4.5 mM, respectively. The control had 6.9 ton/ha and ethephon at 2.0 mM had the least (5.6 ton/ha). Yield increases by paclobutrazol and SADH were due mainly to increase in the number of flowers/panicle, number of fruits/panicles and enhanced percent flowering. The chemicals sprayed did not affect the fruit weight , size, aril thickness and quality parameters of fruit at harvest. The greatest economic benefit derived fron the various treatments was the accelerated fruit maturation especially those obtained by paclobutrazol sprayed at 3.0 and 1.5 mM. These concentrations may be used commercially to advance flowering of rambutan trees. "Roengrean" rambutan trees were sampled for anatomical study at two week interval. Flower bud ontogeny was similar in plants of rambutan grown under normal conditions and under treatment with all experiment concentrations of ethephon, paclobutrazol and SADH sprays. However, foliar sprays induced earlier formation and subsequent development. Spraying trees with these chemicals induced earlier and intensive flowering (except ethephon at 2.0 mM) probably due to an alteration of the C/N ratio of the trees. The increased C/N ratio associated with flower bud formation indicated a positive correlation betwen C/N ratio and flowers initiation.
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