vegetative growth in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) following .... perature of 10-20°C. The photoperiod declined ..... also most grateful to John Mansfield for helping.
Journal of Horticultural Science (1994) 69 (5) 841-849
Synchronization of anthesis and enhancement of vegetative growth in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) following water stress during floral initiation By J. E. DRINNAN1 and C. M. MENZEL2 Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Walkamin Research Station, Walkamin, Qld, 4872, Australia 2 Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Maroochy Horticultural Research Station, PO Box 5083 S.C.M.C., Nambour, Qld, 4560, Australia 1
SUMMARY
The possibility of using water stress during floral initiation and development, to synchronize flowering in potted coffee trees of cvs Catuai Rojo and Mundo Novo was investigated. Moderate and severe cyclic and constant water stress had little effect on vegetative growth during floral initiation. However, upon rewatering, shoot growth was significantly greater in plants where leaf water potential ['l'iJ had declined to -2.5 MPa compared with plants where \jf 1 was maintained above -0.5 MPa. The period of floral initiation was not influenced by water stress and occurred only under short days (
