Weighing the risks and benefits of flowering early in the spring for the woody perennial Prunus pumila.

ABSTRACT:

Premise

There are advantages to flowering early in the spring, including greater pollinator fidelity and longer fruit maturation time. But plant phenology has advanced in recent years, making many plants vulnerable to freezing damage from late frosts.

Methods

To determine the costs and benefits of flowering early in the growing season, we exposed Prunus pumila plants to two freezing treatments and a delayed flowering treatment in subsequent years. Data were collected on ovary swelling, fruit production, and pollinator visitation on hand- and open-pollinated plants in all treatments. We also measured tissue damage after freeze events.

Results

Our results suggest that flowering time and temperature affect reproductive success, with fewer fruits produced after hard freez

SUBMITTER: Lake Diver DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11584043 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature