Abstract
Abstract Eight-year-old ‘Cresthaven’ peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch.) were sprayed to runoff in mid-October with ethephon and Dormex, two potential bloom-delaying compounds. Flower buds were evaluated for differences in hardiness after field exposure to < −23°C for 4 hr in Jan. 1987. Buds treated with ethephon were significantly hardier than control buds or buds treated with Dormex. Controlled freezing tests just before bloom, continuing through full bloom, indicated the same difference. In addition, ethephon-treated buds had an estimated LT50 of −1.6° at full bloom compared to an estimated LT50 <0°, but greater than −0.5° for controls. Ethephon-treated buds also attained full bloom ≈7 days later than control buds. Yield also was enhanced by ethephon compared to all other treatments. Results confirm the bloom-delaying phenomenon associated with fall ethephon application and also indicate that ethephon increases the intrinsic hardiness of peach flower buds when applied in the fall. Chemical names used: (2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid (ethephon); calcium cyanamid (Dormex).
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