Litchi tree architecture and flowering: considerations on controlling biennial bearing.

摘要

The origin of biennial bearing in litchi (cv. Kwai Mi) in relation to architectural development was assessed over 3 years. Trees are constructed from monopodial branched systems, called cimettes, followed by sympodial branching. Processes involved in the growth and branching of these basic structures were studied and models based on simple hypotheses are proposed. Floral differentiation, which occurred in certain conditions, marked the functional end of the cimette-constructing meristem. Moreover,cimette flowering probability increased with the number of growth units or nodes established along the main axis. Recommendations are proposed for diagnosing biennial bearing risk on a per tree or per orchard basis. A few principles concerning organization of the litchi cropping calendar and proposals for agronomic management are also presented.