NUTRITIONAL DIAGNOSIS AND CORRECTION OF SHOOT DIEBACK OF RED BAYBERRY (MYRICA RUBRA SIEB. ET ZUCA)

• Published in: Journal of plant nutrition Vol. 37; no. 3; pp. 420 - 431
• Main Authors: Meng, C. F, Jiang, P. K, Cao, Z. H, Li, Y. F, Xu, Q. F, Zheng, J. C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis Group 23-02-2014; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: borax; boron; correction; dieback; foliar application; fruit yield; leaf area; leaves; molybdates; molybdenum; Morella rubra; Myrica; nutritional diagnosis; red bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zuca); shoot dieback; shoots; spring; sprouting; trees; zinc; zinc sulfate; China; China, People's Rep
• ISSN: 1532-4087; 0190-4167; 1532-4087
• DOI: 10.1080/01904167.2013.864305

Shoot dieback characterized by leaflet, rosette shoots, and dieback of shoot tips is one of the most important problems in red bayberry production in south China. However, the causes of shoot dieback have not been determined. The results of leaf analysis and correction experiment showed that leaf boron (B) concentrations were highly correlated with leaf area (P < 0.01), spring shoot length (P < 0.01), and spring shoot numbers sprouting from one old shoot (P < 0.05). Foliar application of B at 2.0 g L –¹ of borax was more effective on correcting shoot dieback than foliar application of Zn at 2.0 g L –¹ of zinc sulfate and of molybdenum (Mo) at 2.0 g L –¹ of ammonium molybdate. Boron application increased fruit yields by 1.23–2.15 times compared with the control. Shoot dieback resulted mainly from B deficiency in the red bayberry trees.