Journal of Applied Horticulture. 2005: 7(2): 127-129

Pistillate flower abscission in Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.) under mild winter climates of Himachal Pradesh

Amit Kumar; Kumar, K; Sharma, S D

Department of Fruit Breeding & Genetic Resources, University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni-Solan (H.P.) 173 230, India.

Pistillate flower abscission (PFA) was investigated in 18- to 20-year-old trees of 13 indigenous selections and 7 exotic cultivars of Persian walnut (Juglans regia) subjected to different modes of pollination, i.e. natural (open) pollination, self (hand) pollination and cross pollination, during 1999 and 2000 in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. PFA ranged from 12.40 to 100.00% under natural pollination, 8.47 to 62.36% under self pollination and 12.33 to 100.00% under cross pollination in the first year. The corresponding values of PFA were 13.22 to 97.66, 9.11 to 60.40 and 13.50 to 96.67%, respectively, in the following year. In unpollinated flowers, PFA ranged from 0 to 100.00% in 1999 and from 5.33 to 94.33% in 2000. The results indicate no clear trend towards this economically important phenomenon and suggest that PFA is neither exactly due to genetic differences nor entirely due to mode of pollination.