Ethephon and Kinetin Reduce Shoot Length and Increase Flower Bud Formation in Lychee

Abstract

Abstract In recent years, the market price of lychee ( Litchi chinensis Sonn.) has dropped steeply in the “on” year, depressing the incomes of farmers. If the flowering could be controlled, the problem could be alleviated. Normally flower bud formation of ‘Heh Yeh’ lychee occurs in late November and panicles emerge in mid-January of the next year. Nakata (3) and others obtained a flowering response in lychee with various concentrations of sodium naphthaleneacetate (SNA). Nakata indicated that blossoming of lychee in Hawaii is favored by dry autumn months followed by substantial rainfall from December to February. Under these conditions, SNA appeared to inhibit vegetative growth, which was a prerequisite for floral initiation. Attempts to induce flower bud formation with SNA and other chemical treatments have not been successful in Taiwan. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of ethephon and kinetin on shoot growth and flower bud formation of field-grown lychee in Taiwan.