Floral biology of wild raspberry (Rubus macilentus C.) species of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

To observe the floral biology of Rubus macilentus C., a wild Raspberry species of Garhwal Himalaya, an experiment was conducted at College of Horticulture, VCSG, Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Bharsar during the years 2016 – 2017. Rubus macilentus C. produced primocane and floricane, the secondary shoots arrived in primocane during 1st year growth produces flowers in the next year and termed as floricane. Floricane produced secondary and tertiary shoots also flowered. Flower bearing shoots were observed during 2016, April to August and in 2017, January to April. Each inflorescence had strictly three buds with an average 166.6 number of flowers per bearing shoot. Eight stages of flower bud development were observed and took on an average 45.4 days for flower bud emergence to anthesis. The time of flowering and duration was recorded from March to June with the peak period of 45 to 49 days of first flower opening. The flowers were hermaphrodite with white corolla. The peak anthesis and dehiscence was found between 10am to 12 noon.