PHENOLOGY OF ‘MÉNDEZ’ AVOCADO IN SOUTHERN JALISCO, MÉXICO

Abstract

In the southern area of the state of Jalisco, Mexico, cultivation of ‘Méndez’ avocado (Persea americana Miller) is important due to its adaptation to the semi-warm climate of the region and because of its early maturation and harvest (summer), in relation to ‘Hass’ (fall), although the lack of knowledge of its phenology makes the effective management of ‘Méndez’ orchards difficult. The objective of this study was to document the phenology of ‘Méndez’ during two production cycles (2014-15 and 2015-16), in two commercial orchards with supplementary irrigation from October to June (annual rain of 728 mm), established in soils of volcanic origin and light texture in southern Jalisco. The maximum temperatures of the soil at 30 cm from the surface were in May (24.5 °C) and the minimum from January to March (15.9 to 14.5 °C). The vegetative flushes (VF) were found in summer (AugustSeptember) and winter (February), as well as flowering in summer (September) and winter (February). Flower development (vegetative bud to anthesis) in shoots from the summer and winter VFs lasted 187 and 222 d, respectively. The fruit drop (5 to 6 cm of diameter) was similar in the two flowering seasons (55.4 to 61.8 %). The fruit maturity (³22.7 % d.m.) happened in July and in September-October for fruits from the summer and winter flowering periods, respectively. There were two flushes of root production and the greatest was in summer (June to August). The maximum and minimum average environmental temperatures of the warmest (April to June) and coldest (January to March) months were 31 and 9 °C, respectively. The results from this study are basic to compare the future changes in the phenology of ‘Méndez’ avocado.