LEAF CARBOHYDRATES AND FLOWER FORMATION IN CITRUS

The carbohydrate contents of the leaves of satsuma mandarin (Citrus un shiu Marc) trees were altered before or during the low temperature new er induction period to determine the relationship between gross levels of carbohydrates and newer formation. Early removal of the fruit and girdling of the branches on either fruiting or defruited trees caused an accumulation of carbohydrates in the leaves and increased newer for mation. Shading the trees resulted in a transient reduction in leaf ca rbohydrate levels and in a decrease in newer formation. Although a rel ationship between carbohydrate levels and flowering was consistently f ound, our results show that the gross levels of carbohydrates do not a ppear to limit flower formation in citrus.