Paclobutrazol em oliveira submetida a diferentes regimes hídricos

Abstract

Adaptation of olive cultivars to climatic conditions of some regions in Brazil has attracted the interest of producers for their cultivation. However, for the expansion of production areas it is necessary to study the factors that influence growth and reproduction of the species. The aim of this research was to evaluate the vegetative growth of olive trees and their reproductive performance when submitted to paclobutrazol application (PBZ) under different conditions of water availability (WA). The experiment was set in 4 x 2 x 2 factorial scheme, with randomized blocks, three replications, and two plants per plot. Three-year-old cv. Arbequina olive trees were submitted to four PBZ doses (0.0; 2.0; 4.0 and 8.0 g per plant), two application forms (in soil and foliar) and two levels of WA. PBZ was effective to slow the plants growth in both forms applied. When PBZ was applied in the soil its action in the plants was slow. Water stress favored the paclobutrazol action in plants when applied in leaves but when the PBZ was applied to the soil its performance was slow in the plants. In the studied conditions there was no olive tree flowering with Paclobutrazol and water deficit.