Bud Fall Induction in Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)

Cloves - the dry unopened flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum - represent the main source of income for many farmers in ndonesia, Tanzania, India, and Sri Lanka. The main issues associated with this crop are the pronounced biennial, triennial and quadriennial bearing, which lead to irregular pattern of production, and the very high costs of production. The objective of this experimental work was to induce the bud fall by applying hormone-like chemicals, precursors of the abscisic acid, which is the hormone responsible for the separation of leaves, flowers, fruits and other parts of the shoots at maturity or senescence. From a business perspective, the goal was to decrease the costs of harvesting, which represent more than 40% of the total production costs. In fact, the chemical induction of the buds would have allowed for the synchronization of bud harvest and eliminated the need for hand-picking buds from tall trees. Two different chemical compounds were tested (ACC and Ethephon) at varying concentrations. The experiment did not produce the expected results, as the flower buds fall was not induced. Several technical, ecological and physiological reasons can be taken into account to explain such results.