Do low chill peach cultivars in mild winter regions undergo endodormancy?

Key Message: This study contributed to understand the adaptation mechanism of low chilling peach cultivars in a mild winter region according to the contents and mobilization of carbohydrates during dormancy and resumption of growth. The understanding of the physiological processes that occur in the peach tree during the dormancy period in mild winter regions (MWR) is important for the selection of new cultivars more adapted to these regions. The aim of this study was to bring more elements to build mechanistic understanding of non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) mobilization in one-year shoots of two low winter chilling peach cultivars, 'T. Beauty' and 'S. Áurea', during the dormancy period and the resumption of growth in MWR and their interactions with blooming and leafing. It is hypothesized that these low chilling peach cultivars do not enter into deep endodormancy and are, therefore, able to respond to external cues of growth and development. Our results showed that the amount of starch reserve, the mobilization and the use of NSC by buds are not limiting for low chilling cultivars during dormancy period in mild winter regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]