Carbohydrate levels in 'douradão' peach tree grown under subtropical conditions

Abstract

Most studies ignored the translocation of carbohydrates in peach tree at different stages of growth, particularly under subtropical conditions that might affect the phenological cycle. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the carbohydrate levels in 'Douradão' peach when cultivated under subtropical condition. In field, peach trees were two years old, spacing of 6.0 x 4.0 m. The experiment design was randomized blocks, consisting of 3 plants per plot and 4 repetitions. Each of the following: roots, branches, leaves and fruits were separately done by ANOVA, since they were all collected at different periods. Leaves and branches samples were collected at different time periods, such as January, February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October and December. Root samples were collected in January, April, August, November and December. In November, fruits were collected whether 4 fruits per plant met the minimum Brix value of 10°. During the annual cycle, there were significant variations of carbohydrate levels in leaves, branches and roots. Thus, starch is the most common form of carbohydrate in trees, wherefore the highest levels was obtained in June, when leaves fall naturally.