Abstract

LASKOWSKI OCHOA, Libia E. Características de la abscisión del fruto de Naranja Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck var. Salustiana. Bioagro [online]. 2006, vol.18, n.1, pp.025-030. ISSN 1316-3361.

The kinetics and anatomy of abscission were studied during the initial development of fruits of sweet orange Salustiana (Citrus sinensis (L). One hundred and fifty unifloral leafy shoots were labelled in 25 trees in an orchard located in Museros (Valencia, Spain) to follow the development from anthesis to 104 days after anthesis (daa), from March to July. The fruit diameter was measured and the histology was recorded in fresh made slides from a freezing microtome. The growth in diameter followed a sigmoidal curve with a close relation between the rate of fruit growth and its relative abscission. Three abscission zones were identified early in the fruitlets; one for the drop of the style/floral axis and two for the ovary/fruitlet which activated as progress the fruit development.

Keywords : Sweet orange; fruitlet abscission; fruit anatomy.