BACKGROUND AND AIMS Despite the widespread use of dwarfing rootstocks in the fruit-tree industry, their impact on tree architectural development and possible role in the within-tree balance between growth and flowering are still poorly understood, in particular during the early years of growth. The present study addressed this question in apple trees, through a detailed analysis of shoot popula...

Ailanthus altissima and Robina pseudoacacia are two successful invasive species of floodplains in central Spain. We aim to explain their success as invaders in this habitat by exploring their phenological pattern, vegetative and sexual reproductive growth, and allometric relations, comparing them with those of the dominant native tree Populus alba. During a full annual cycle we follow the timin...

Light is a critical resource needed by plants for growth and reproduction. A major portion of the apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) tree’s canopy is subjected to shade during most daylight hours each day and such shade may affect productivity. The current research determined effects of morning, afternoon, and all-day shading on processes that are significant to orchard productivity. In 1996 ‘Gin...

Flowering phenology and synchrony with biotic and abiotic resources are crucial traits determining the reproductive success in insect-pollinated plants. In seasonal climates, plants flowering for long periods should assure reproductive success when resources are more predictable. In this work, we evaluated the relationship between flowering phenology and synchrony and reproductive success in Hy...

 Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is an important medicinal plant that contained a wide range of secondary metabolites such as rosmarinic acid. In this study, essential oil content and composition and rosmarinc acid were determined at three phenological stages (before flowering, full flowering and fruit set stages). Hydro distillation method was used for essential oil extraction and GC and ...

Background: The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between the sexual reproduction and the resource allocation in a natural Polygonatum humile population grown in a temperate mixed forest gap. For this aim, the plant size, the node which flower was formed, the fruiting rate, and the dry weight of each organ were monitored from June 2014 to August 2015. Results: Firstly, in 3–13-l...

Fast-growing European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) shrubs are aggressively invading woodlands in eastern and midwestern North America. Buckthorn casts dense shade, alters soil conditions, and may be allelopathic. We used greenhouse and field experiments to investigate aboveand belowground effects of Rhamnus on four herbaceous species native to southern Wisconsin. In the greenhouse, we assesse...

In many perennials, heavy fruit load on a shoot decreases the ability of the plant to undergo floral induction in the following spring, resulting in a pattern of crop production known as alternate bearing. Here, we studied the effects of fruit load on floral determination in 'Hass' avocado (Persea americana). De-fruiting experiments initially confirmed the negative effects of fruit load on retu...

Several studies have revealed that fruit-zone leaf removal could change the microclimate of grapevine growth, thereby causing complex effects on fruit composition. This study analyzed profiles volatiles in Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) grapes exposed to treatment at different phenological periods three continuous years. The treatments (leaf before flowering, after and veraison) were ap...

SVP-like MADS domain transcription factors have been shown to regulate flowering time and both inflorescence and flower development in annual plants, while having effects on growth cessation and terminal bud formation in perennial species. Previously, four SVP genes were described in woody perennial vine kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.), with possible distinct roles in bud dormancy and flowering. Kiw...