ABSTRACT
The cultivated almond, formerly classified as Prunus amygdalus Batsch, is a collection of almond cvs selected from the wild. The almond is included in the family Rosaceae, subfamily Prunoideae. Like other Prunus species, the amond develops floral buds laterally on both spurs and on more vigorous current-year shoots. The number of flower buds produced at a node may vary both within the cv itself and among cvs. Insufficient chilling has reduced productivity in various Prunus species following unusually mild winters. The shedding of floral buds is most frequently a consequence of insufficient winter chilling, or lack of soil moisture experienced during bud development. About 20 to 30% of the floral buds may be shed following an exceptionally mild winter, and even higher percentages are shed in particularly sensitive cvs such as ‘Peerless’ and ‘Ne Plus Ultra’.
