Effects of paclobutrazol on the vegetative growth and flowering of young clove trees

Abstract

Field trials were conducted in which two levels of the growth regulator paclobutrazol (PP333 formulation) were applied as a soil drench or as a foliar spray on several occasions to 2V2-year-old clove trees. One year after the commencement of treatment, inflorescences had differentiated on most treated trees but few control trees showed signs of inflorescence development. Seventeen months after the start of the experiment, control trees showed considerably larger increases in girth, height and canopy diameter than most treated trees. In 9-year-old trees PP333 also reduced vegetative growth and resulted in three-fold increases in clove yields.