Development of technologies to extend the durian production period

Abstract

To find alternative procedures for off-season durian production to extend the marketable period, methods of durian flower induction were researched in an experimental field at Chanthaburi Horticultural Research Center during producing years 2010-2013. The applied methods included induction of early flowering using 1) 1000 ppm paclobutrazol, 2) 1000 ppm mepiquat chloride and 3) foliar spray of 1000 ppm chlorate in the first year followed by 2.5 g L-1 0‑42-56 fertilizer in the second year. For induction of late flowering, the following treatments were applied: 4) applying 16-16-16 fertilizer in the dry period, continued watering over the in-season flowering period until physiological mature leaves were produced, which were foliar-sprayed with 1000 ppm PBZ, to induce flowering about 30 days after normal in-season flowering, compared with 5) normal in-season flowering (control). The results revealed that, with the application of 1000 ppm paclobutrazol, all treated trees flowered approximately 9-36 days earlier than the normal in-season flowering, with larger numbers of flowers (7808 flowers tree-1), fruit (31 fruits tree-1), yield (108.59 kg tree-1) and fruit weight (3.60 kg fruit-1). The control treatment had 4614 flowers tree-1, 26 fruits tree-1, 93.43 kg fruit tree-1 and fruit weight 3.86 kg fruit-1. The late flowering method delayed flowering by 28-43 days after the normal in-season flowering. These results indicated that the durian marketable period could be extended by 9-36 days earlier and 28-43 days later than the normal regular time of bearing by using these alternate flower induction methods.