Mild temperatures on bud breaking dormancy in peaches

The search for low chill cultivars for peach production in areas with low chill accumulation (temperatures below 7.2 degrees C) has stimulated studies about the higher temperatures effects on low chill cultivars. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of mild temperatures on flowering and leafing of 'Turmalina' and 'Agata' cultivars with low and medium low chilling requirements, respectively. Plants obtained by grafting flower twigs in the autumn, after the grafting, were submitted to chilling treatments (150, 250, 350, 500 and 672 hours) at three temperature levels (5 degrees C, 10 degrees C and 15 degrees C). After the end of the treatments, the plants had been taken to greenhouse (20 degrees C +/- 5 degrees C) and evaluated weekly. The results showed that satisfactory flower and leaf development occur even at temperatures as high as 15 degrees C for a period of 150 hours, in 'Turmalina' peach. Temperatures of 10 degrees C for a period equal or superior to 350 hours promote satisfactory leafing in 'Agata' peach. Temperatures of 10 degrees C and 15 degrees C cause earlier development of flowers and leaves in both cultivars when compared to 5 degrees C.