The effect of growth regulators and apex removal on branching and flower bud production of jojoba

RAVETTA, D.A.; PALZKILL, D

Industrial Crops and Products

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 1992 vol. 1 p. 47 - 55

0926-6690

The effects of three concentrations of 6benzyladenine (BA), gibberellic acid 4 and 7 (GA,.,) and Promalin (amixture of BA and GA,, ,) on branching and flower production of three jojoba (Simmondsiu chinensis (Link) C.Schneid.) clones were studied in greenhouse and field conditions. Treatments involving pinching were alsoincluded. Time of treatment application significantly influenced the plant’s quantitative response, although thesame qualitative changes were obtained. For plants treated in August, the growth regulators had a significanteffect on both branching and flower bud production, and clones differed in their response. For the most responsiveclone, the mast effective treatments were 100 ppm GA 4+‘1 and 100 ppm Promalin and these resulted in a 133%and 110% increase in flower buds after 17 months, respectively, relative to non-treated control plants. For thissame clone, the best BA treatment (100 ppm) resulted in a 74% increase in flower buds, while pinching resultedin a 47% increase. The increase in flower buds was associated with an increase in the number of growing tips andnode production. The ratio of flower buds per node was not changed. Similar responses were observed in a fieldexperiment. The results of these studies indicate that growth regulators can be used to significantly increasebranching and flower bud production on jojoba in the early years of growth.Growth regulator; Branching; Flower bud production: Jojoba; SimmondFiu; Pruning