Abstract
Productivity of temperate deciduous crops is potentially more vulnerable to climate change than many annual crops because temperate deciduous crops flower and set crops at the beginning of the growing season when temperatures vary greatly. The fruit development periods (time between bloom and harvest) of many fruit tree species (peach and nectarine (Prunus persica), plum (Prunus salicina), prune (Prunus domestica), sweet cherry (Prunus avium), almond (Prunus dulcis), pear (Pyrus communis)) are inversely related to accumulated heat during the first month after bloom – the higher the accumulated heat, the shorter the fruit development period (Fig. 1). The fruit development period of a cultivar can vary among years by as much as 30 days and most of the effects on development occur during the early stages of fruit development. Thus, spring temperatures can have significant effects on fruit sizes and/or tree yields because, during warm springs, rates of fruit growth cannot keep up with rates of fruit development when spring temperatures are excessively high. In recent years spring temperature variability appears to be increasing. While historic mean growing degree hour (GDH) accumulations in the month after peach tree bloom in California were around 6000 GDH, recently 3 years have registered accumulations over 8000 GDH and one year was above 9000 GDH. This caused early harvests and problems with fruit size. A harvest prediction model has been developed to help growers cope with these variable weather events (http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu/Weather_Services/Harvest_Prediction__About_Growing_Degree_Hours/). In addition, prolonged temperatures > 27o C occurring during bloom have also negatively affected fruit set of prunes (Prunus domestica) and sweet cherries (Prunus avium). California prune production is especially vulnerable because it is dependent a single cultivar. Breeding efforts are under way to spread the bloom period and decrease the risk of sporadic warm spells during spring (Table 1).
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Fruit development periods in the listed fruit tree species are inversely related to heat accumulated in the first month after bloom.
Verbatim
e0“The fruit development periods (time between bloom and harvest) of many fruit tree species (peach and nectarine (Prunus persica), plum (Prunus salicina), prune (Prunus domestica), sweet cherry (Prunus avium), almond (Prunus dulcis), pear (Pyrus communis)) are inversely related to accumulated heat during the first month after bloom – the higher the accumulated heat, the shorter the fruit development period”
Claim · model-written summary
A cultivar’s fruit development period can vary by as much as 30 days across years.
Verbatim
e0“The fruit development period of a cultivar can vary among years by as much as 30 days”
Claim · model-written summary
Excessively warm springs can reduce fruit size or tree yield when growth cannot keep pace with development.
Verbatim
e0“spring temperatures can have significant effects on fruit sizes and/or tree yields because, during warm springs, rates of fruit growth cannot keep up with rates of fruit development when spring temperatures are excessively high”
Claim · model-written summary
Recent California peach bloom periods have included three years above 8000 GDH and one above 9000 GDH, versus historic means around 6000 GDH.
- Taxon
- peach tree
Prunus persicae0 - Outcome
- growing degree hour (GDH) accumulationse0
- Direction
- abovee0
- Value
- 8000 GDHe0
- Setting
- Californiae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“While historic mean growing degree hour (GDH) accumulations in the month after peach tree bloom in California were around 6000 GDH, recently 3 years have registered accumulations over 8000 GDH and one year was above 9000 GDH”
Claim · model-written summary
These high heat accumulations caused early harvest and fruit size problems in peach.
- Taxon
- peachPrunus persicae1
- Outcome
- early harvests and problems with fruit sizee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This caused early harvests and problems with fruit size”
e1“peach and nectarine (Prunus persica)”
Claim · model-written summary
A harvest prediction model was developed to help growers manage variable weather.
- Outcome
- harvest prediction modele0
Not reportedValue
Verbatim
e0“A harvest prediction model has been developed to help growers cope with these variable weather events”
Claim · model-written summary
Prolonged bloom temperatures above 27o C negatively affected prune fruit set.
- Taxon
- prunese0
- Treatment
- prolonged temperatures > 27o Ce0
- Outcome
- fruit sete0
- Direction
- negatively affectede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“prolonged temperatures > 27o C occurring during bloom have also negatively affected fruit set of prunes (Prunus domestica) and sweet cherries (Prunus avium)”
Claim · model-written summary
Prolonged bloom temperatures above 27o C negatively affected sweet cherry fruit set.
- Taxon
- sweet cherries
Prunus aviume0 - Treatment
- prolonged temperatures > 27o Ce0
- Outcome
- fruit sete0
- Direction
- negatively affectede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“prolonged temperatures > 27o C occurring during bloom have also negatively affected fruit set of prunes (Prunus domestica) and sweet cherries (Prunus avium)”