Z. Khazaei Kojori, M. Rezaei, A. Sarkhosh and S. Gharangik
Horticulture Science Department, Agriculture Faculty, Shahrood University of Technology, P.O. Box 3619995161, Shahrood, Iran. Horticultural Sciences Department University of Florida Gainesville FL 32611 U.S.A. Agricultural Biotechnology Department, Agriculture Faculty, Shahrood University of Technology, P.O. Box 3619995161, Shahrood, Iran.
Abstract: We tested the effects of bud scale removal and different application rates of gibberellin (GA
3) on bud break of dormant vegetative buds of two apricot cultivars. The shoot explants of "Jafari" and "Rajabali" cultivars were collected from one-year-old dormant branches and cultured in woody plant medium (WPM), supplemented with 2 mg L
-1 of benzyl amino purine (BAP), 0.04 mg L
-1 3-bndolebutyric acid (IBA). Treatments included three different concentrations of GA
3 (4, 6, and 8 mg L
-1), and removed and unremoved scale bud forms. The results indicated that none of the unremoved scale buds sprouted even when GA
3 treatments were used (
P?0.01). The average of bud sprouting in removed scales buds was 62.77%. The maximum bud sprouting (72.5%) occurred in treatment with 8 mg L
-1 of GA
3 and removed scale buds. There was a significant difference between two apricot cultivars on vegetative dormant bud break percentage when scale removal of buds was done. The removed scale bud of "Jafari" and "Rajabali" cultivars sprouted 55.22% and 70.33%, respectively. This study showed that the scales are probably containing inhibitory substances such as abscisic acid and by removing them, bud break will occur. Also, this method provides the possibility of
in vitro culturing of apricot trees in non-growing seasons (winter).