Pg. 53 Phenological Cycles and Seasonal Starch Fluctuations in the Growth Models of HLH Mauritius and McLean’s Red Litchi Trees

The litchi still fails to be one of the major horticultural crops of South Africa and of the world, due to low and irregular bearing. In many instances trees produce very good yields in one season, but what is typical is the poor flower production the following season brought about by an “off”-year situation in biennially bearing trees. A solution to the problem of low and irregular bearing would be to concentrate on effective litchi tree management, including manipulation, irrigation and fertilization. During the seasons of 1994 and 1995, detailed phenological cycles of the two main commercial cultivars were studied in different production areas.