Low overnight temperatures delay ‘Hass’ avocado (<i>Persea americana</i>) female flower opening, leading to nocturnal flowering
Avocado (Persea americana) has synchronously protogynous flowers: flowers open first in female phase before closing and opening the next day in male phase. Cultivars are grouped based on whether the flowers typically first open in female phase in the morning (type A), or in the afternoon (type B). H...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Enviroquest Ltd.
2018-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Pollination Ecology |
| Online Access: | https://pollinationecology.org/index.php/jpe/article/view/489 |
| _version_ | 1819113834594435072 |
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| author | David Errol Pattemore Max N Buxton Brian T Cutting Heather M McBrydie Robert Mark Goodwin Arnon Dag |
| author_facet | David Errol Pattemore Max N Buxton Brian T Cutting Heather M McBrydie Robert Mark Goodwin Arnon Dag |
| author_sort | David Errol Pattemore |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Avocado (Persea americana) has synchronously protogynous flowers: flowers open first in female phase before closing and opening the next day in male phase. Cultivars are grouped based on whether the flowers typically first open in female phase in the morning (type A), or in the afternoon (type B). However, it is known that environmental factors can alter the timing of flower opening, with cold temperatures being shown to affect the timing of flowering. The aim of this study was to investigate how low spring temperatures in New Zealand affect the flowering cycle of commercial avocado cultivars, focusing primarily on the receptive female phase of ‘Hass’, a type A cultivar. Time-lapse photography was used to assess flower opening times of ‘Hass’ over three years. Decreasing minimum overnight temperatures were associated with a delay in the timing of ‘Hass’ female flower phases and resulted in nocturnal flowering of both male and female phase flowers. We recorded insects visiting female flowers at night, and some nocturnal flower visitors collected were carrying avocado pollen. Our study suggests that nocturnal pollination needs to be considered for avocados grown in temperate regions. Furthermore, as the timing of the female phase of ‘Hass’ varied significantly with overnight temperature, the activity patterns of potential pollinators need to be considered to ensure adequate pollinator activity across the range of times in which ‘Hass’ flowers are receptive. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T04:35:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-43af053812614295a84fa7ef050eae99 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1920-7603 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T04:35:42Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | Enviroquest Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Pollination Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-43af053812614295a84fa7ef050eae992022-12-21T18:38:53ZengEnviroquest Ltd.Journal of Pollination Ecology1920-76032018-08-012312713510.26786/1920-7603(2018)12290Low overnight temperatures delay ‘Hass’ avocado (<i>Persea americana</i>) female flower opening, leading to nocturnal floweringDavid Errol Pattemore0Max N Buxton1Brian T Cutting2Heather M McBrydie3Robert Mark Goodwin4Arnon Dag51. The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton 3210, New Zealand 2. School of Biological Sciences, The University of AucklandThe New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton 3210, New ZealandThe New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton 3210, New ZealandThe New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton 3210, New ZealandThe New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton 3210, New ZealandGilat Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, 85280, IsraelAvocado (Persea americana) has synchronously protogynous flowers: flowers open first in female phase before closing and opening the next day in male phase. Cultivars are grouped based on whether the flowers typically first open in female phase in the morning (type A), or in the afternoon (type B). However, it is known that environmental factors can alter the timing of flower opening, with cold temperatures being shown to affect the timing of flowering. The aim of this study was to investigate how low spring temperatures in New Zealand affect the flowering cycle of commercial avocado cultivars, focusing primarily on the receptive female phase of ‘Hass’, a type A cultivar. Time-lapse photography was used to assess flower opening times of ‘Hass’ over three years. Decreasing minimum overnight temperatures were associated with a delay in the timing of ‘Hass’ female flower phases and resulted in nocturnal flowering of both male and female phase flowers. We recorded insects visiting female flowers at night, and some nocturnal flower visitors collected were carrying avocado pollen. Our study suggests that nocturnal pollination needs to be considered for avocados grown in temperate regions. Furthermore, as the timing of the female phase of ‘Hass’ varied significantly with overnight temperature, the activity patterns of potential pollinators need to be considered to ensure adequate pollinator activity across the range of times in which ‘Hass’ flowers are receptive.https://pollinationecology.org/index.php/jpe/article/view/489 |
| spellingShingle | David Errol Pattemore Max N Buxton Brian T Cutting Heather M McBrydie Robert Mark Goodwin Arnon Dag Low overnight temperatures delay ‘Hass’ avocado (<i>Persea americana</i>) female flower opening, leading to nocturnal flowering Journal of Pollination Ecology |
| title | Low overnight temperatures delay ‘Hass’ avocado (<i>Persea americana</i>) female flower opening, leading to nocturnal flowering |
| title_full | Low overnight temperatures delay ‘Hass’ avocado (<i>Persea americana</i>) female flower opening, leading to nocturnal flowering |
| title_fullStr | Low overnight temperatures delay ‘Hass’ avocado (<i>Persea americana</i>) female flower opening, leading to nocturnal flowering |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low overnight temperatures delay ‘Hass’ avocado (<i>Persea americana</i>) female flower opening, leading to nocturnal flowering |
| title_short | Low overnight temperatures delay ‘Hass’ avocado (<i>Persea americana</i>) female flower opening, leading to nocturnal flowering |
| title_sort | low overnight temperatures delay hass avocado i persea americana i female flower opening leading to nocturnal flowering |
| url | https://pollinationecology.org/index.php/jpe/article/view/489 |
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