- J Fivaz, I J Froneman and P J C Stassen
- Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops, Private Bag X11208, Nelspru it 1200, South Africa
- 1996
The phenological cycles of different litchi cultivars were studied from April 1993 until June 1995. The cultivars studied produced typical phenological cycles for “onyear” trees, with a high percentage of branches flowering. The “off-year” trees, on the other hand, flushed vegetatively during periods of inflorescence development and flowering. These vegetative shoots, which had not hardened off sufficiently for flower induction, produced further vegetative flushing which competed with reproductive growth. Fruit growth patterns, for the cultivars HLH Mauritius, Red McLean, Late Large Red, Fay Zee Siu and Brewster, were sigmoidal, with the aril growth starting 42 days after anthesis. In all the cultivars, two waves of fruit drop were identified. The first occurred two to three weeks after full female flowering, and the second at the time when the embryo and aril started growing.