The Influence of Ringing on Bud Development and Flowering in Satsuma Mandarin

Ringing of Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) trees showedincreased flowering in the following spring when performed duringSeptember and October, but not during November. Most of theeffect on flowering was due to an enhancement of both bud sproutingand the number of flowering shoots formed per node. In addition,a direct effect of ringing on flower initiation was demonstrated,since the number of vegetative shoots was reduced. The response of the buds to ringing was rapid as demonstratedby changes in bud weight, protein content, and electrophoreticpattern and behaviour when cultured in vitro. Buds from ringedtrees readily flowered in vitro when forced during the winterrest period and flower formation was enhanced by the additionof cytokinin. Buds from control trees formed a smaller numberof flowers in vitro, and flowering was much less enhanced bythe addition of cytokinin. It is concluded that ringing acceleratesflower initiation in the buds and this effect takes place beforethe winter rest period. Key words: Bud sprouting, Citrus unshiu Marc., flower initiation, flowering, in vitro flowering, Satsuma mandarin, ringing     

AUXIN OF TOMATO FRUIT AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF ITS DEVELOPMENT WITH A SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HIGH TEMPERATURE INJURIES

Acidic auxin in tomato fruit at various developmental stageswas examined by paper chromatography and Avena curvature test. Auxin activity of the fruit extracts was detected only in thesame R_f zone as that of authentic IAA with four solvent systems,i.e., isopropanol-ammonium hydroxide-water 10:1:1 v/v, n-butanol-ammoniumhydroxide-water 25:1:5 v/v, ethanol-water 7:3 v/v and n-butanol-aceticacid-water 4:1:1 v/v. Auxin content of fruit was the highest on the seventh day afteranthesis, when the two-celled proembryo began to grow rapidlyand the endosperm consisted of multi-cells. The second peakof auxin activity occurred on the 30th day, when the embryo,which consisted of the cotyledons, hypocotyl, and radicle, finishedits most rapid growth. No auxin activity was detected in theripe fruit. Auxin contents in fruit on the fifth, seventh, and tenth daysafter anthesis were lowered by a 4 hr high temperature treatmentat 40 given 0–3 days after anthesis. The nature of tomato auxin and its possible role in the fruitdevelopment were discussed. (Received June 30, 1966; )