Apices of strawberry plants ('Dunlap,’ ‘Sparkle,’ ‘Catskill,’ and ‘Royal Sovereign') were dissected at intervals between August and November. The structure of the crown and any inflorescence were diagrammed, and records made of crown size and number of leaves. Both the diameter of the crown and the diameter of the bud (enclosed primordia) were correlated with the number of leaves on runner plants. The number of leaf primordia was also correlated with both crown and bud diameters. Growth of the older leaf primordia declined earlier in the fall than did growth of younger primordia. This was evident in lower primordium length ratios as the season progressed. Initiation of an inflorescence was first evident as a raising and enlargement of the apical meristem. Initiation of the primary flower began after the bracts of the inflorescence were evident. Floral initiation is centripetal, the sepals appearing first, followed by petals, stamens, and pistils. The phyllotaxy of the crown continues in the bracts of the main axis of the inflorescence. Branches of the inflorescence usually have two bracts. These were not opposite but were closer together on the side nearest the central axis. This structure was associated with variations in the frequency of flower initiation in the axils on the tertiary and higher order axis. Initiation in the quarternary positions was about eight times more frequent in axillary positions facing the outside of the inflorescence than in those positions oriented toward the center.
(2-chloroethyl)phosphonic acid (ethephon) applied as a preharvest spray at rates of 200, 300, and 500 ppm induced significant on-the-tree degreening of fruit of ‘Robinson’, ‘Lee’ ‘Nova’, and ‘Dancy’ tangerines and ‘Hamlin’ oranges. Greatest degreening occurred 2 to 6 days following application and subsequent to peak-ethylene evolution. Fruit which were partially or totally degreened on the tree required less postharvest degreening and showed less decay in storage than untreated fruit. Ethephon applied at 200 to 500 ppm induced varying degrees of fruit loosening and, often, fruit drop. Generally, less than 10% ofthe leaves abscised on all cultivars with rates under 200 ppm and on ‘Nova’ and ‘Dancy’ tangerines and ‘Hamlin’ oranges with rates under 500 ppm. Considerable leaf abscission occurred on ‘Robinson’ and ‘Lee’ tangerines treated with 300 and 500 ppm ethephon.
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