Leaf development, dry matter accumulation, and distribution within branches of alternate-bearing 'Kerman' pistachio trees

Abstract

We investigated the development of leaf area (LA) and the distribution of dry matter within branches of 25-year-old, alternate-bearing 'Kerman' pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) trees that were in their natural 'on' (heavy) or 'off' (light) bearing cycles to determine the immediate and delayed effects of fruiting on shoot growth. Compared to 'off' trees, individual leaves of 'on' trees were greater in number and expanded twice as fast during the first 30 days after full bloom (FB) (FB + 30). Mature, fully expanded leaves of 'on' trees were smaller (124.1 ± 3.26 cm2) than those from 'off' tree (163.3 ± 3.40 cm2), indicating delayed demands of fruiting on initial leaf growth. Total LA per current shout was greater in 'on' than 'off' trees because shoots of 'on' trees averaged eight leaves, compared with six for 'off' trees. More inflorescence buds per shoot (seven vs. three buds) abscised from 'on' than from 'off' trees. About 60% of the young developing nuts had abscised by FB + 30 when they weighed <250 mg each and another 25% abscised between FB + 30 and FB + 60 when individual nuts weighed ≃400 mg. The average total dry mass (DM) of individual branches of 'on' trees increased 1322% (5.9 to 83.9 g) compared to 598% (4.2 to 29.3 g) in 'off' trees. Besides nuts, leaves accumulated the greatest amount of dry matter within individual branches followed in decreasing order by current wood, 1-year-old wood, and inflorescence buds. DMs of individual leaves of 'on' trees averaged between 15% and 48% greater than leaves of 'off' trees. 'Off' trees invested 4.6 g of dry matter into individual 1-year-old wood and 2.1 g into current wood. 'On' trees, however, invested 1.3 g of dry matter into 1-year-old wood and 4.3 g of dry matter into current wood. One-year-old wood was an important major source of carbohydrates for developing leaves, current wood, rachises, and nuts. The immediate demands of fruiting on individual components of a branch were measured as losses in DMs. Individual leaves, current wood, 1 -year wood, and rachises lost 1.1%, 0.3%, 1.1%, and 1.0%, respectively, of the average total DMs of individual branches of 'on' trees. This loss was equivalent to 5.7%, 5.9%, 26.7%, and 16.4%, respectively, of the seasonal average peak DMs of the respective individual components of the branch.