Effects of Girdling on Flowering of Longan cv. Petsakorn-Twai

Abstract

The effects of stem girdling on the flowering of longan cv. Petsakorn-Twai were studied by girdling on the main limbs, at the stages of mature and semi-mature leaf; on the branches; and on the main limbs on a half of the trees, at the stage of mature leaf. The experiment was conducted during late May to August 1998 on the longan orchard at Pichai Sub-district, Muang District, Lampang Province. The results showed that the girdling on the main limbs and the branches at the stage of mature leaf, induced flowering of 76-78% in June 1998, 23 days after treatments. The girdled trees, at the semi-mature leaf stage, flowered 65%, 40 days after treatments. The control trees flowered very little but most produced vegetative flush, but flowered later in August 1998. The girdled trees found to produce higher percentage of cumulative flowering, and flower before the control trees for about 2 months. On the trees, with girdled on the main limbs on a half of the tree, flowered only on the girdled side for 70%. Thus girdling can be used as a tool to induced flowering on “Petsakorn Twai” longan for uniform and rapid flowering.