This work was conducted during 1992 and 1993, on the cv. Red Malaga. The effect of pruning date, concentration and time of application after pruning of hydrogen cyanamide (CNH), was studied on the dynamic and the total budbreak, as well as on fruit and wood production.
Hydrogen cyanamide advanced budbreak, regardless of the chilling accumulation and bud damage by low temperature. There were no differences by the action of CNH at the concentration from 1 to 3% on the studied variables. The time lag from pruning to CNH application showed to be important, for getting the expected effect of the CNH. Under low chilling accumulation and bud damage condition, 2% CNH applied the day of pruning improved the total budbreak, and had a tendency to advance fruit maduration. All the treatments reach the budbreak maximum within a 3 to 4 days difference, due to a reduction of the number of days from the beginning to maximum budbreak, as the budbreak was delayed. The pruning date had influence on budbreak dynamics, being significantly earlier in the January prunings, than in February.