The Division of Subtropical Agriculture - The Volcani Institute of Agricultural Research 1960-1969

The Division of Subtropical Horticulture

The Volcani Institute of Agricultural Research 1960-1969

CONTENTS

Preface	5
A. GENERAL
History and organization of the Division	7
The laboratory	12
The orchards	13
The regional research work	16
B. AVOCADO
1. Selection of rootstocks and other work related to salinity and lime	23
2. Trials with rootstocks and sources of budwood	40
3. Inarching	43
4. Vegetative propagation	47
5. Varieties, introductions and local selections	54
6. Flowering, fruit set and fruit drop	57
7. Localization of fruit on the tree, branch girdling and fruit thinning	60
8. Water requirements	69
9. Nutrition	73
10. The role of plant growth regulators in the development, growth and maturation of the fruit	77
11. Fruit ripening	83
C. MANGO
1. Rootstocks and varieties	89
2. Flowering and fruit set	96
3. Nutritional problems	101
D. MINOR FRUITS
1. Removal of astringency from persimmons	105
2. Artificial pollination of cherimoya and hybrid annona	107
3. Use of plant hormones for production of seedless annona fruit	108
4. Growth flushes and flower differentiation in the loquat	112
5. Acclimatization	113
6. Propagation of litchi and macadamia	115
7. Flowering and fruiting of litchi	120
E. BANANA
1. Reaction of the plant to low temperatures	123
2. Enhancement of plant development in the orchard	127
3. Plant analysis for the determination of potassium levels	129
4. Manure and fertilizers	133
5. Use of gibberellin to delay ripening in the orchard	137
6. A colorimetric method for determining the onset of climacteric	141
F. DATE PALM	143
1. Irrigation	144
2. Fertilizing	149
3. Propagation	151
4. Fruit development	154
5. Fruit thinning	167
6. Factors inhibiting growth	176
BREEDING OF APPLES FOR A SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE	181
List of Publications of members of the Division	185