Applying soybean oil to dormant peach trees alters internal atmosphere, reduces respiration, delaysbloom, and thins flower budsMyers RE, Deyton DE, Sams CEJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE121 (1): 96-100 JAN 1996
Abstract:
Dormant 'Georgia Belle' peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.] trees were sprayed in early February 1992with single applications of 0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 10.0%, or 20.0% (v/v) crude soybean oil. 'Redhaven' treeswere sprayed in February 1993 with single applications of 0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 10.0%, or 15% degummedsoybean oil, Additional treatments of two applications of 2.5% or 5.0% oil were included each year, Bothcrude and degummed soybean oil treatments interfered with escape of respiratory CO2 from shoots andincreased internal CO2 concentrations in shoots for up to 8 days compared to untreated trees, Respirationrates, relative to controls, were decreased for 8 days following treatment, indicating a feedback inhibitionof respiration by the elevated CO2. Thus, an internal controlled atmosphere condition was created,Ethylene evolution was elevated for 28 days after treatment. Flower bud development was delayed bytreating trees with 5% crude or degummed soybean oil. Trees treated with 10% crude or degummedsoybean oil bloomed 6 days later than untreated trees. Repeated sprays of one half concentration delayedbloom an additional four days in 1992, but <1 day in 1993 compared to a single spray of the same totalconcentration, Application of soybean oil caused bud damage and reduced flower bud density (number offlower buds/cm branch length) at anthesis, In a trial comparing petroleum oil and degummed soybean oil,yields of trees treated with 6% or 9% soybean oil were 17% greater than the untreated trees and 29% morethan petroleum treated trees, These results suggest that applying soybean oil delays date of peach bloomand may be used as a bloom thinner.
[url]http://botanicaloils.
tennessee.edu/bloom.htm[/URL]