Modification of flowering and fruit production in prunus

Abstract

This invention relates to methods for modifying flowering time and timing of fruit production in a Prunus plant by subjecting the Prunus plant to a regimen of continuous light for a specified amount of time per day for a specified number of days at a particular temperature. In addition, the invention relates to plants produced by the methods described herein.

Description

[0001] MODIFICATION OF FLOWERING AND FRUIT PRODUCTION IN PRUNUS

[0002] STATEMENT OF PRIORITY

[0003] This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e), of U.S. Provisional

[0004] Application No. 63 / 597,356 filed on November 9, 2023, the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein.

[0005] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0006] This invention relates to methods for modifying flowering time and timing of fruit production in a Primus plant. In addition, the invention relates to plants produced by the methods described herein.

[0007] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Mature Prunus plants require a specific set of conditions in order to flower and subsequently then produce fruit. These conditions include a required period of dormancy under cold temperatures (Fall / Winter seasons) to complete flower bud development and flowering when temperatures increase in the Spring. Fruits will then be formed during the Spring and Summer. After Summer, plants will go through leaf senescence and the cycle starts again. Under natural conditions, this is an annual cycle taking a full 12 months to complete. To observe normal bud production in a Prunus plant, this annual cycle needs to be repeated at least 3 times, though a few buds (less than 10%) may be observed after the annual cycle is repeated two times. These requirements make evaluation of flowering and fruit both a time-consuming process requiring at least three years of growth and a complex process in which specific environmental requirements need to be met.

[0009] The present invention overcomes the shortcomings in the art by providing methods that reduce the time to flowering in Prunus spp. plants.

[0010] SUMMARY OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0011] One aspect of the invention provides a method of reducing time to flowering of a Prunus spp. plant, comprising subjecting the Prunus plant to the following conditions: (a) growing a Prunus spp. plant that is at least 300 consecutive days after germination (300 consecutive days or more after germination) under conditions comprising about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period at a temperature of about 82°F for about 128 consecutive days; (b) growing the Prunus plant of (a) under a first cycle comprising: (i) sequential cooling conditions of (in the following order): (A) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F, (B) about 3 consecutive days at about 72°F, (C) about 2 consecutive days at about 70°F, (D) about 7 consecutive days at about 65°F, (E) about 5 consecutive days at about 55°F, and (F) about 35 consecutive days at about 40°F; wherein the sequential cooling conditions of (i)(A-G) are carried out under the following: (ii) sequential lighting conditions of: (1) about 7 consecutive days of about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (2) about 7 consecutive days of about 12 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and (3) about 45 consecutive days of about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period; followed by: (iii) a chill period of about 15 consecutive days to about 40 consecutive days under chill conditions of about 44°F in continuous dark; (c) growing the Primus plant of (b)(iii) under a second cycle comprising: (i) sequential growing conditions of: (A) about 5 consecutive days at about 55°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (B) about 13 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (C) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (D) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 18 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and (E) about 45 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by: (F) a growth period of about 35 consecutive days at about 85°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by: (ii) sequential cooling conditions of: (A) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (B) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (C) about 18 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (D) about 6 consecutive days at about 62°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and (E) about 24 consecutive days at about 55°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by: (iii) a chill period of about 15 consecutive days to about 40 consecutive days at about 44°F in continuous dark; (d) growing the Prunus plant of (c)(iii) under a third cycle comprising: (i) sequential growing conditions of: (A) about 14 consecutive days at about 73 °F with about 10 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (B) about 13 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24- hour period, (C) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (D) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 18 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and (E) about 44 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by: (F) a growth period of about 21 consecutive days at about 85°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by: (ii) sequential cooling conditions of: (A) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (B) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (C) about 16 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (D) about 5 consecutive days at about 62°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and (E) about 42 consecutive days at about 55°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by: (iii) a chill period of about 15 to about 40 consecutive days at about 44°F in continuous dark, thereby producing a Primus plant having reduced time to flowering.

[0012] In addition, the present invention provides Prunus plants produced by the methods described herein.

[0013] These and other aspects of the invention are set forth in more detail in the description of the invention below.

[0014] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The present invention now will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This description is not intended to be a detailed catalog of all the different ways in which the invention may be implemented, or all the features that may be added to the instant invention. For example, features illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be incorporated into other embodiments, and features illustrated with respect to a particular embodiment may be deleted from that embodiment. Thus, the invention contemplates that in some embodiments of the invention, any feature or combination of features set forth herein can be excluded or omitted. In addition, numerous variations and additions to the various embodiments suggested herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the instant disclosure, which do not depart from the instant invention. Hence, the following descriptions are intended to illustrate some particular embodiments of the invention, and not to exhaustively specify all permutations, combinations and variations thereof.

[0016] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.

[0017] All publications, patent applications, patents and other references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entireties for the teachings relevant to the sentence and / or paragraph in which the reference is presented. Unless the context indicates otherwise, it is specifically intended that the various features of the invention described herein can be used in any combination. Moreover, the present invention also contemplates that in some embodiments of the invention, any feature or combination of features set forth herein can be excluded or omitted. To illustrate, if the specification states that a composition comprises components A, B, and C, it is specifically intended that any of A, B, or C, or a combination thereof, can be omitted and disclaimed singularly or in any combination.

[0018] As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0019] Also as used herein, “and / or” refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, as well as the lack of combinations when interpreted in the alternative (“or”).

[0020] Except where defined differently for a specific aspect, the term “about,” as used herein when referring to a measurable value such as an amount or concentration and the like, is meant to encompass variations of ± 10%, ± 5%, ± 1%, ± 0.5%, or even ± 0.1% of the specified value as well as the specified value. For example, “about X,” where X is the measurable value, is meant to include X as well as variations of ± 10%, ± 5%, ± 1%, ± 0.5%, or even ± 0.1% of X. A range provided herein for a measurable value may include any other range and / or individual value therein.

[0021] As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y” and phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y ”

[0022] Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. For example, if the range of 10 to 15 is disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed.

[0023] The term “comprise,” “comprises,” and “comprising” as used herein, specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the transitional phrase “consisting essentially of’ means that the scope of a claim is to be interpreted to encompass the specified materials or steps recited in the claim and those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. Thus, the term “consisting essentially of’ when used in a claim of this invention is not intended to be interpreted to be equivalent to “comprising.”

[0024] As used herein, the terms “increase,” “increasing,” “enhance,” “enhancing,” “improve,” and “improving” (and grammatical variations thereof) describe an elevation of at least about 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 300%, 400%, 500% or more as compared to a control.

[0025] As used herein, the terms “reduce,” “reduced,” “reducing,” “reduction,” “diminish,” and “decrease” (and grammatical variations thereof), describe, for example, a decrease of at least about 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 35%, 50%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9%, or 100% as compared to a control. In some embodiments, the reduction can result in no or essentially no (z.e., an insignificant amount, e.g., less than about 10% or even 5%) detectable activity or amount.

[0026] “Natural,” “native,” or “wild type” conditions for flowering in plants, e.g., Primus spp. plants, refer to those conditions that are necessary for a plant to flower and produce fruit when cultivated in a field, or grown in a growth environment which does not substantially differ from field grown conditions, or grown wild without manipulation by humans.

[0027] As used herein, the terms “cultivar” and “variety” refer to a group of similar plants that by structural or genetic features and / or performance can be distinguished from other varieties or cultivars within a species.

[0028] As used herein, the terms “exotic,” “exotic line,” and “exotic germplasm” refer to any plant, line, or germplasm that is not elite. In general, exotic plants / germplasms are not derived from any known elite plant or germplasm, but rather are selected to introduce one or more desired genetic elements into a breeding program (e.g., to introduce novel alleles into a breeding program).

[0029] As used herein, the term “hybrid” in the context of plant breeding refers to a plant that is the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents produced by crossing plants of different lines or breeds or species, including, but not limited to, the cross between two inbred lines.

[0030] As used herein, the term “inbred” refers to a substantially homozygous plant or variety. The term may refer to a plant or plant variety that is substantially homozygous throughout the entire genome or that is substantially homozygous with respect to a portion of the genome that is of particular interest. As used herein a “control plant” (e.g., control Primus plant) means a plant (e.g., a Prunus plant) that is the same species, variety, or cultivar as the Prunus plant that is subjected to, contacted, or treated with or exposed to the methods of the invention, but which has not been subjected to the methods (e.g., the conditions) of the invention.

[0031] As used herein, “Celsius” or °C” and “Fahrenheit” or “°F” are used interchangeably to refer to temperature. When a temperature is given in “Fahrenheit” or “°F,” it is understood that the corresponding temperature in “Celsius” or °C” may be determined using the formula: temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) = (temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) - 32) x 5 / 9.

[0032] As used herein, “contact,” “contacting,” “contacted,” and grammatical variations thereof, refer to placing the components of a desired reaction together under conditions suitable for carrying out the desired reaction. As an example, a Prunus plant may be contacted with the light and temperature conditions as described herein to alter the timing of flowering and fruiting of the Prunus plant.

[0033] As used herein, the term “continuous” means without stopping (uninterrupted) for the designated period of time. Thus, four hours of continuous light means four hours of light without interruption with, for example, dark.

[0034] As used herein, “consecutive” means without interruption. Thus, five consecutive days of a particular temperature or light regimen means five days at that temperature and / or light regimen without interruption with a different temperature and / or light regimen.

[0035] As used herein, “subjecting the Prunus plant to the following conditions” means exposing or contacting the Prunus plant to / with the growing conditions as claimed and described herein.

[0036] As used herein, the term “time to flowering” refers to the time that it takes for flowering to be initiated as measured by the production of flower buds (initiation of flowering) and / or as measured by the development of flowers from the flower buds.

[0037] As used herein, “time to the production of fruit” refers to the time to development of fruit from the flowers.

[0038] A “reduced time to flowering” and / or “reduced time to production of fruit” refers to the reduction in the time that it takes for a Prunus spp. plant to flower or fruit that has been treated / contacted with the methods of the invention as compared to a Prunus spp. plant that has not been treated / contacted with the methods of the invention.

[0039] The term “plant part,” as used herein, includes but is not limited to reproductive tissues (e.g., petals, sepals, stamens, pistils, receptacles, anthers, pollen, flowers, fruits, flower bud, ovules, seeds, embryos,); vegetative tissues (e.g., petioles, stems (e.g., primocane, floricane), roots, root hairs, root tips, pith, coleoptiles, stalks, shoots, branches, bark, apical meristem, axillary bud, cotyledon, hypocotyls, and leaves); vascular tissues (e.g., phloem and xylem); specialized cells such as epidermal cells, parenchyma cells, collenchyma cells, sclerenchyma cells, stomates, guard cells, cuticle, mesophyll cells; callus tissue; and cuttings. The term “plant part” also includes plant cells, including plant cells that are intact in plants and / or parts of plants, plant protoplasts, plant tissues, plant organs, plant cell tissue cultures, plant calli, plant clumps, and the like. As used herein, “shoot” refers to the above ground parts including the leaves and stems. As used herein, the term “tissue culture” encompasses cultures of tissue, cells, protoplasts and callus.

[0040] As used herein, “plant cell” refers to a structural and physiological unit of the plant, which typically comprise a cell wall but also includes protoplasts. A plant cell of the present invention can be in the form of an isolated single cell or can be a cultured cell or can be a part of a higher-organized unit such as, for example, a plant tissue (including callus) or a plant organ. In some embodiments, a plant cell can be an algal cell. A “protoplast” is an isolated plant cell without a cell wall or with only parts of the cell wall. Thus, in some embodiments of the invention, a cell of a Primus plant or plant part includes, but is not limited to, a root cell, a leaf cell, a tissue culture cell, a seed cell, a flower cell, a fruit cell, a pollen cell, and the like. In some aspects of the invention, the plant part can be a plant germplasm.

[0041] “Plant cell culture” means cultures of plant units such as, for example, protoplasts, cell culture cells, cells in plant tissues, pollen, pollen tubes, ovules, embryo sacs, zygotes, and embryos at various stages of development.

[0042] As used herein, a “plant organ” is a distinct and visibly structured and differentiated part of a plant such as a root, stem, leaf, flower bud, or embryo.

[0043] “Plant tissue” as used herein means a group of plant cells organized into a structural and functional unit. Any tissue of a plant in planta or in culture is included. This term includes, but is not limited to, whole plants, plant organs, plant seeds, tissue culture and any groups of plant cells organized into structural and / or functional units. The use of this term in conjunction with, or in the absence of, any specific type of plant tissue as listed above or otherwise embraced by this definition is not intended to be exclusive of any other type of plant tissue.

[0044] A “bud,” as used herein, is an undeveloped shoot from which leaves or flower parts grow. The buds of temperate-zone trees and shrubs typically develop a protective outer layer of small, leathery scales. Annual plants and herbaceous perennials have naked buds with green, somewhat succulent, outer leaves. Fruiting Primus spp. trees typically set terminal buds (ceasing active shoot growth) as the photoperiod decreases in mid- to late summer after the vegetative Spring / Summer growth had happened. Cessation of apical elongation growth and bud set are initial processes demarcating the dormancy cycle. Prunus spp. trees require a period of dormancy to survive freezing Winter. During autumn, the transition to short days followed by a drop in temperature increases the depth of dormancy and begins the process of cold acclimatization. Dormancy can be separated into two main phases: (i) endodormancy, induced mainly by cold temperatures and under the control of internal plant factors, and defined as the inability to initiate growth from meristems under favorable environmental conditions, followed by (ii) ecodormancy, corresponding to the period during which meristems can resume growth if temperatures are optimal. As an example, in sweet cherries, endodormancy onset is insensitive to photoperiod at high temperatures, maintaining continuous growth. However, at lower temperatures, growth is controlled but the interaction of photoperiod and temperature plays a role. Sweet cherries maintained active growth in short-day conditions up to moderately low temperatures (9°C). This interaction of photoperiod and temperature suggests that / V / z / w.s spp. in general may have a dual endodormancy induction control system, securing timely growth cessation and endodormancy induction in response to the progressive decrease in day length and temperature in the autumn. Juvenility and maturity might modify the tree response to photoperiod and temperature, resulting in growth cessation earlier during mid- to late-Summer. After bud scale initiation, organogenic activity continues for several weeks. In sweet cherry, for example, floral organ differentiation continues during endodormancy establishment. Photoperiod and temperature are the primary environmental cues that control bud set, with the relative contribution of these cues varying among fruiting tree species. In the case of Prunus spp., after the endodormancy period, ecodormancy takes place, releasing plant growth if temperatures are favorable for plant growth. Floral buds that were differentiated and formed during the last Summer / Fall will then start to open in the Spring. Immediately after flower buds start to open, vegetative buds will start to open, supporting the new Spring / Summer growth. If pollination is successful and fruit set is established, fruit will start to develop and will be ripe within 2-3 months. After this, the cycle starts all over again. Thus, under natural conditions, this cycle is annual. These requirements make evaluation of flowering and fruit Prunus spp. both a time-consuming process requiring at least one year of growth and a complex process in which specific environmental requirements need to be met.

[0045] To address these shortcomings, the present invention provides a method of reducing time to production of flowers and / or fruit of a Prunus spp. plant. The method of reducing time to flowering or fruit production of a Primus spp. plant comprises subjecting the Prunus spp. plant to specific conditions in a specific order as described herein.

[0046] To achieve a reduction in time to flowering (or reduction in time to production of flower buds) and / or a reduction in time to fruit production as described herein, it is intended that the Prunus plant be exposed to, contacted with, or subjected to each of the conditions, in the order as described and claimed herein.

[0047] Accordingly, a Prunus spp. plant is subjected to or contacted with or exposed to the following conditions in the following order:

[0048] (a) growing a Prunus spp. plant that is at least 300 consecutive days after germination (300 or more consecutive days after germination) under conditions comprising about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period at a temperature of about 82°F for about 128 consecutive days, wherein about 16 hours is 16 hr±l-2 hours, e.g., 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 hours, and any range or value therein, about 82°F is 82°F±1-5°F; e.g., 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, or 87°F, and any range or value therein, and about 128 consecutive days is 128 days±l-10 days; e.g., 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, or 138 consecutive days, and any range or value therein; and then

[0049] (b) growing the Prunus plant of (a) under a first cycle comprising (b)(i), (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) as follows:

[0050] (i) sequential cooling conditions of (in the following order): (A) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F, (B) about 3 consecutive days at about 72°F, (C) about 2 consecutive days at about 70°F, (D) about 7 consecutive days at about 65°F, (E) about 5 consecutive days at about 55°F, and (F) about 35 consecutive days at about 40°F, wherein about 7 consecutive days of (A) is 7 days±l-2 days, e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 consecutive days, and any range or value therein), about 75°F of (A) is 75°F±1-2°F, e.g., 73, 74, 75, 76, or 77°F, or any range or value therein, about 3 consecutive days of (B) is 3 days±l-2 days; e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 consecutive days, or any range or value therein), about 72°F of (B) is 72°F±1-2°F; e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74°F, or any range or value therein, about 2 consecutive days is 2 days±l-2 days; e.g., 1, 2, 3 or 4 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, about 70°F of (C) is 70°F±l-2°F, e.g., 68, 69, 70, 71, or 72°F, or any range or value therein, about 7 consecutive days of (D) is 7 days±l-2 days; e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 65°F of (D) is 65°F±1-2°F, e.g., 63, 64, 65, 66, or 67°F, or any range or value therein, about 5 consecutive days of (E) is 5 days±l-2 days, e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, about 55°F of (E) is 55°F±1-5°F, e.g., 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 58, or 60°F, or any range or value therein, and about 35 consecutive days of (F) is 35 days±l-5 days, e.g., 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, and about 40°F of (F) is 40°F±l-5°F, e.g., 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, or 45°F, and any range or value therein; wherein the sequential cooling conditions of (b)(i)(A-F) are carried out under the following sequential lighting conditions of (ii)(l)-(3):

[0051] (ii) sequential lighting conditions of: (1) about 7 consecutive days of about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by (2) about 7 consecutive days of about 12 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and then followed by (3) about 45 consecutive days of about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, wherein about 7 consecutive days of (1) is 7 consecutive days±l-3 days, e.g, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period of (1) is 14 hours±l hour, e.g, 13, 14, or 15 hours or any range of value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 7 consecutive days of (2) is 7 days±l-3 days, e.g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 12 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period of (2) is 12 hours±l hour, e.g., 11, 12, or 13 hours or any range of value therein, of continuous light in a 24- hour period, and about 45 consecutive days of (3) is 45 days±l-5 days, e.g., 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, and about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period of (3) is 8 hours±l-2 hours, e.g., 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 hours or any range of value therein of continuous light in a 24-hour period; the sequential cooling conditions of (i) with the lighting conditions of (b)(ii) followed by:

[0052] (iii) a chill period of about 15 consecutive days to about 40 consecutive days (e.g., 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 consecutive days, or any range or value therein) under chill conditions of about 44°F (44°F±1- 5°F, e.g., 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, or 49°F, and any range or value therein) in continuous dark; wherein the sequential conditions of (b)(i), (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) are followed by

[0053] (c) growing the Primus plant of (b)(iii) under a second cycle comprising the sequential conditions of (c)(i), (c)(ii) and (c)(iii) as follows:

[0054] (i) sequential growing conditions of: (A) about 5 consecutive days at about 55°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (B) about 13 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (C) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (D) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 18 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and (E) about 45 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24- hour period, followed by: (F) a growth period of about 35 consecutive days at about 85°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, wherein about 5 consecutive days of (A) is 5 days±l-3 days, e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 55°F of (A) is 55°F±1-5°F, e.g., 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, or 60°F, and any range or value therein, about 14 hours of (A) is 14 hours±l hour, e.g., 13, 14, or 15 hours or any range of value therein) of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 13 consecutive days of (B) is 13 days±l-3 days, e.g., 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 75°F of (B) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 14 hours of (B) is 14 hours±l hour, e.g., 13, 14, or 15 hours or any range of value therein of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 14 consecutive days of (C) is 14 days±l-3 days, e.g., 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 75°F of (C) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 16 hours of (C) is 16 hours±l hour, e.g., 15, 16, or 17 hours or any range of value therein) of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 14 consecutive days of (D) is 14 days±l-3 days, e.g., 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 75°F of (D) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 18 hours of (D) is 18 hours±l hour, e.g., 16, 17 or 18 hours, and any range or value therein of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 45 days of (E) is 45 consecutive days±l-5 days, e.g., 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, about 75°F of (E) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 20 hours of (E) is 20 hours±l hour, e.g., 19, 20, 21, or any range or value therein of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 35 consecutive days of (F) is 35 days±l-5 days, e.g., 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, about 85°F of (F) is 85°F±1-5°F, e.g., 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, or 90°F, or any range or value therein, and about 20 hours of (F) is 20 hours±l hour, e.g., 19, 20, 21, or any range or value therein of continuous light in a 24-hour period, wherein the conditions of (c)(i) are followed by

[0055] (ii) sequential cooling conditions of: (A) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (B) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (C) about 18 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (D) about 6 consecutive days at about 62°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and (E) about 24 consecutive days at about 55°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, wherein about 7 consecutive days for (A) is 7 days±l-3 days, e.g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 consecutive days, and any range or value therein), about 75°F for (A) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 16 hours for (A) is 16 hours±l hour, e.g., 15, 16, or 17 hours, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 7 consecutive days of (B) is 7 days±l-3 days, e.g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 75°F of (B) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 14 hours of (B) is 14 hours±l hour, e.g., 13, 14, or 15, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 18 consecutive days of (C) is 18 days±l-3 days, e.g., 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, or 21 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, about 75°F of (C) is 75°F ±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 8 hours of (C) is 8 hours±l hour, e.g., 7, 8, or 9, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 6 consecutive days of (D) is 6 days±l-3 days, e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, about 62°F of (D) is 62°F±1-5°F, e.g., 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, or 67°F, or any range or value therein, about 8 hours of (D) is 8 hours±l hour, e.g., 7, 8, or 9, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 24 consecutive days of (E) is 24 days±l-5 days, e.g., 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, or 29 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, about 55°F of (E) is 55°F±1-5°F, e.g., 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, or 60°F, or any range or value therein, about 8 hours of (E) is 8 hours±l hour, e.g., 7, 8, or 9, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, wherein the sequential conditions of (c)(ii) are then followed by a chill period of (c)(iii) as follows:

[0056] (iii) a chill period of about 15 consecutive days to about 40 consecutive days (e.g., 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 consecutive days or any range or value therein) at about 44°F (44°F±1-5°F, e.g., 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, or 49°F, or any range or value therein) in continuous dark; wherein the sequential conditions of (c)(i)-(iii) are followed by the growth conditions of (d) as follows:

[0057] (d) growing the Primus plant of (c)(iii) under a third cycle comprising the sequential conditions of (d)(i), (d)(ii) and (d)(iii) as follows:

[0058] (i) sequential growing conditions of: (A) about 14 consecutive days at about 73 °F with about 10 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (B) about 13 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (C) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (D) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 18 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and (E) about 44 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24- hour period, (F) a growth period of about 21 consecutive days at about 85°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, wherein about 14 consecutive days of (A) is 14 days±l-3 days, e.g., 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 73°F of (A) is 73°F±1-5°F, e.g., 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, or 78°F, or any range or value therein, about 10 hours of (A) is 10 hours±l hour, e.g., 9, 10, or 11, or any range or value therein) of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 13 consecutive days of (B) is 13 days±l-3 days, e.g., 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 75°F of (B) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 14 hours of (B) is 14 hours±l hour, e.g., 13, 14, or 15, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 14 consecutive days of (C) is 14 days±l-3 days, e.g., 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 consecutive days, and any range or value therein), about 75°F of (C) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 16 hours of (C) is 16 hours±l hour, e.g., 15, 16, or 17, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 14 consecutive days of (D) is 14 days±l-3 days, e.g., 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 consecutive days, and any range or value therein), about 75°F of (D) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 18 hours of (D) is 18 hours±l hour, e.g., 17, 18, or 19, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 44 consecutive days of (E) is 44 days±l-5 days, e.g., 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, or 49 consecutive days or any range or value therein, about 75°F of (E) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 20 hours of (E) is 20 hours±l hour, e.g., 19, 20, or 21, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 21 consecutive days of (F) is 21 days±l-5 days, e.g., 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, or 26 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, about 85°F of (F) is 85°F±1-5°F, e.g., 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, or 90°F, or any range or value therein, and about 20 hours of (F) is 20 hours±l hour, e.g., 19, 20, or 21 hours, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, wherein (d)(i) is followed by the sequential cooling conditions of (d)(ii) as follows:

[0059] (ii) sequential cooling conditions of: (A) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (B) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (C) about 16 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, (D) about 5 consecutive days at about 62°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and (E) about 42 consecutive days at about 55°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, wherein about 7 consecutive days of (A) is 7 days±l-3 days, e.g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 75°F of (A) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 16 hours of (A) is 16 hours±l hour, e.g., 15, 16, or 17 hours, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24- hour period, about 7 consecutive days of (B) is 7 consecutive days±l-3 days, e.g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 consecutive days, and any range or value therein, about 75°F of (B) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 14 hours of (B) is 14 hours±l hour, e.g., 13, 14, or 15, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 16 consecutive days of (C) is 16 days±l-3 days, e.g., 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, about 75°F of (C) is 75°F±1-5°F, e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80°F, or any range or value therein, about 8 hours of (C) is 8 hours±l hour, e.g., 7, 8, or 9 hours, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24-hour period, about 5 consecutive days of (D) is 5 days±l-3 days, e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 consecutive days, or any range or value therein, about 62°F of (D) is 62°F±1-5°F, e.g., 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, or 67°F, or any range or value therein, about 8 hours of (D) is 8 hours±l hour, e.g., 7, 8, or 9 hours, or any range or value therein, of continuous light in a 24- hour period, about 42 consecutive days of (E) is 42 days±l-5 days, e.g., 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, or 47 consecutive days or any range or value therein, about 55°F of (E) is 55°F±1-5°F, e.g., 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, or 60°F, or any range or value therein, and about 8 hours of (E) is 8 hours±l hour, e.g., 7, 8, or 9 hours, or any range or value therein) of continuous light in a 24-hour period, wherein (d)(ii) is followed by a chill period, (d)(iii), as follows

[0060] (iii) a chill period of about 15 consecutive days to about 40 consecutive days (e.g., 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 consecutive days or any range or value therein) at about 44°F (44°F±1-5°F, e.g., 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, or 49°F, or any range or value therein) in continuous dark, thereby producing a Primus plant having reduced time to flowering.

[0061] In some embodiments, one or more of the conditions to which the Prunus plant is exposed may be carried out in a controlled growth environment or may be carried out in a controlled growth environment in part and in part in, for example, in the field.

[0062] In some embodiments, a Prunus spp. plant may be cherry (Prunus avium), plum (Prunus domestica), nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica), apricot (Prunus armeniaca) or peach (Prunus persica).

[0063] In some embodiments, when the Prunus spp. plant is cherry or plum, the chill period of (b)(iii), (c)(iii) and (d)(iii) may be about 38 consecutive days to about 40 consecutive days (e.g., 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, or 41 consecutive days, or 38, 39, or 40 consecutive days). In some embodiments, when the Prunus spp. plant is cherry or plum and the chill period of (b)(iii) may be about 38 consecutive days (±1-2 days, e.g., 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 consecutive days), the chill period of (c)(iii) is about 40 consecutive days (±1-2 days, e.g., 38, 39, 40, 41, or 42 consecutive days) and the chill period of (d)(iii) is about 38 consecutive days (±1-2 days, e.g., 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 consecutive days). In some embodiments, when the Prunus spp. plant is cherry or plum, the chill period of (b)(iii) is 38 consecutive days, the chill period of (c)(iii) is 40 consecutive days and the chill period of (d)(iii) is 38 consecutive days.

[0064] In some embodiments, when the Prunus spp. plant is peach, apricot, or nectarine, the chill period of (b)(iii), (c)(iii) and (d)(iii) may be about 15 consecutive days to about 25 consecutive days (e.g., about 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, or 42 consecutive days in length, or any value or range therein).

[0065] The methods of the invention when applied to a Prunus spp. plant may result in the plant having a reduced time to flowering, reduced time to flower bud formation, and / or a reduced time to production of fruit. As used herein, a reduced time to flowering or reduce time to flower bud formation refers to a reduced time to production or initiation of flower buds or flowers. For example, cherry trees typically need 3 annual cycles to produce fruits the first time, with fruit being noticed around month 30. In contrast, when utilizing the methods of the invention, ripe fruits may be observed around month 18-19. Thus, when pollination is successful and fruit set is established, fruit will start to develop and will be ripe within 2-3 months. The time for production of ripe fruit is reduced because the methods of the invention reduce the time to flowering (e.g., the time to initiation / production of flower buds).

[0066] Accordingly, the methods of the invention when applied to a Prunus spp. plant result in the Prunus spp. plant exhibiting a reducing the time to flowering (reduced time to production of flower buds). Typically, Prunus spp. plants not subjected to the methods of the invention require 3 annual cycles to achieve flowering and fruiting, with fruit production being observed at about 30 months after germination and flowering being observed 2-3 months earlier at about 27 months to 28 months after germination. In contrast, a Prunus spp. plant subjected to the methods of the invention may exhibit a reduced time to fruit production, with fruit production being observed at about 18 months to about 19 months after germination and flowering being observed about 2 months to 3 months earlier (at about 15 months to about 17 months from germination, e.g., about 15, 16, or 17 months from germination). Thus, the present invention reduces the time to production of flower buds / flowers and production fruit by about 11-12 months as compared to a control Prunus spp. plant that has not been subjected to or exposed to the growing conditions of the invention. It is noted that the methods of the invention do not alter the time for the development of fruit from the flower buds / flowers (about 2-3 months). Instead, time to fruit production is earlier, because flowering is initiated about 11-12 months earlier in response to the methods and conditions of the invention.

[0067] In some embodiments, the time to production of flowers (z.e., production of flower buds) of the Primus spp. plant subjected to the growing conditions of the invention is about 456 days to about 517 days (e.g., about 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 467, 468,

[0068] 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487,

[0069] 488, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506,

[0070] 507, 508, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 518, 519, or 520 days, or any range of value therein) as compared to about 821 days to about 852 days (e.g., about 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, or 855 days) for a control Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of the present invention.

[0071] In some embodiments, the time to fruit production of the Prunus spp. plant subjected to the growing conditions of the invention is about 547 days to about 577 days (e.g., about 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551, 552, 553, 554, 555, 556, 557, 558, 559, 560, 561, 562, 563, 564, 565, 566, 567, 568, 569, 570, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577, 578, 579, or 580 days, or any range of value therein) as compared to about 913 days (e.g., about 910, 911, 912, 913, 914, 915, or 916 days) for a control Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of the present invention.

[0072] In some embodiments, the time to flowering of the Prunus spp. plant subjected to the growing conditions of the invention may be reduced by at least 300 days, optionally reduced by about 300 days to about 400 days (e.g., 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 315, 320, 325, 330, 335, 340, 345, 350, 355, 360, 365, 370, 375, 380, 385, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, or 400 days, or any range or value therein), optionally reduced by about 304 days to about 396 days, as compared to a Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of (a)-(d) above.

[0073] In some embodiments, the time to fruit production of the Prunus spp. plant subjected to the growing conditions of the invention may be reduced by at least 330 days, optionally reduced by about 330 days to about 370 days (e.g., 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369 or 370 days, or any range or value therein), optionally reduced by about 336 days to about 366 days, as compared to a Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of (a)-(d) above. In some embodiments, the time to the production of flowers (flower buds) of the Primus spp. plant subjected to the growing conditions of the invention may be reduced by at least about 35% to about 50% (e.g., reduced by about 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50%, or any value or range therein) as compared to a control Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of the present invention. In some embodiments, the time to the production of flowers (flower buds) may be reduced by at least about 37% to about 46% (e.g., reduced by about 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, or 46%, or any value or range therein) as compared to a Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of the present invention.

[0074] In some embodiments, the time to production of fruit of the Prunus spp. plant subjected to the growing conditions of the invention is reduced by at least about 30% to about 50% (e.g., reduced by about 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50%, or any value or range therein), optionally by at least about 35% to about 45% (e.g., reduced by about 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, or 45%, or any value or range therein), as compared to a control Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of the growing conditions of the present invention. In some embodiments, the time to production of fruit is reduced by at least about 36% to about 40% (e.g., reduced by about 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40%) as compared to a control Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of the growing conditions of the present invention.

[0075] In some embodiments, a Prunus spp. plant that is at least 300 days after germination of may be about 300 days old to about one year old (365 days old) as measured from the day of germination (e.g., 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333,

[0076] 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352,

[0077] 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, or 365 days old or days from germination, or any range or value therein).

[0078] The invention will now be described with reference to the following examples. It should be appreciated that these examples are not intended to limit the scope of the claims to the invention but rather are intended to be exemplary of certain embodiments. Any variations in the exemplified methods that occur to the skilled artisan are intended to fall within the scope of the invention.

[0079] EXAMPLES

[0080] Example 1. Basis for temperature and daylength We designed a temperature and day length cycle for growing cherry trees that would simulate the temperatures and daylengths for the different seasons of the year for growing cherry trees in the outdoors but would reduce the number of days for each season in order to progress cherry trees from the juvenile stage to the mature stage more quickly. To determine the temperatures and daylengths, we utilized historical raw daily data of high / low / average temperatures, chill hours accumulated in 2019, and daily daylengths from 2019 in Bakersfield, California as the base to determine the annual cycle of the different cherry plant growth stages from dormancy to vegetative growth to reproductive growth to leaf defoliation. These plant stages are defined by the BBCH (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und CHemische Industrie) scale (from Fadon et al. Scientia Horticulturae 192: 141-147 (2015)). Historical data was also used to identify when specific stages of development occurred, such as blooming and harvest date. By knowing the specific dates of different stages of development, we were able to quantify how many growing degree days (GDD) and total daylight were needed to reach the specific stages. GDD calculations were used to estimate the growth and development of the plants during the growing season. Also taken into account was the temperature where growth would stop, the basal temperature. Any temperatures above the basal temperature will induce growth and development. For cherries, the basal temperature is 50°F.

[0081] Example 2. Reduction in time to flower

[0082] After estimating total GDD and daylight per plant stage as described in Example 1, we were able to design a regimen where plants would be exposed to the GDD and daylight required for reducing the time to flowering earlier than in nature. By doing this, cherry plants were forced to cycle through the stages quicker, shortening the time to production of mature fruits. Fig. 1 provides an example regimen.

[0083] Cherry plants, which were approximately 300 days old (days after germination), were grown under the conditions of Fig. 1. At the end of the regimen set forth in Fig. 1, it was noted that flower buds had formed on the plants and the plants were placed in the dark for about 38 days at about 44°F degrees before being moved to standard lighting and growth conditions in a greenhouse. The plants emerged from the dormant state and the flower buds opened to produce flowers.

[0084] The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. The invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein.

Claims

THAT WHICH IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method of reducing time to flowering of a Primus spp. plant, comprising subjecting the Prunus plant to the following conditions:(a) growing a Prunus spp. plant that is at least 300 consecutive days after germination (300 consecutive days or more after germination) under conditions comprising about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period at a temperature of about 82°F for about 128 consecutive days;(b) growing the Prunus plant of (a) under a first cycle comprising:(i) sequential cooling conditions of:(A) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F,(B) about 3 consecutive days at about 72°F,(C) about 2 consecutive days at about 70°F,(D) about 7 consecutive days at about 65°F,(E) about 5 consecutive days at about 55°F, and(F) about 35 consecutive days at about 40°F; wherein the sequential cooling conditions of (i)(A-G) are carried out under the following:(ii) sequential lighting conditions of:(A) about 7 consecutive days of about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(B) about 7 consecutive days of about 12 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and(C) about 45 consecutive days of about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period; followed by:(iii) a chill period of about 15 consecutive days to about 40 consecutive days under chill conditions of about 44°F in continuous dark;(c) growing the Prunus plant of (b)(iii) under a second cycle comprising:(i) sequential growing conditions of:(A) about 5 consecutive days at about 55°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(B) about 13 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(C) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(D) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 18 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and(E) about 45 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by:(F) a growth period of about 35 consecutive days at about 85°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by:(ii) sequential cooling conditions of:(A) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(B) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(C) about 18 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(D) about 6 consecutive days at about 62°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and(E) about 24 consecutive days at about 55°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by:(iii) a chill period of about 15 consecutive days to about 40 consecutive days at about 44°F in continuous dark; and(d) growing the Primus plant of (c)(iii) under a third cycle comprising:(i) sequential growing conditions of:(A) about 14 consecutive days at about 73 °F with about 10 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(B) about 13 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(C) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(D) about 14 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 18 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and(E) about 44 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by:(F) a growth period of about 21 consecutive days at about 85°F with about 20 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by:(ii) sequential cooling conditions of:(A) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 16 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(B) about 7 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 14 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(C) about 16 consecutive days at about 75°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period,(D) about 5 consecutive days at about 62°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, and(E) about 42 consecutive days at about 55°F with about 8 hours of continuous light in a 24-hour period, followed by:(iii) a chill period of about 15 consecutive days to about 40 consecutive days at about 44°F in continuous dark, thereby producing a Primus plant having reduced time to flowering.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Prunus spp. plant is cherry (Prunus avium), plum (Prunus domestica), nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica), apricot (Prunus armeniaca) or peach (Prunus persica).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the Prunus spp. plant is cherry or plum and the chill period of (b)(iii), (c)(iii) and (d)(iii) is about 38 consecutive days to about 40 consecutive days.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the Prunus spp. plant is cherry or plum and the chill period of (b)(iii) is about 38 consecutive days, the chill period of (c)(iii) is about 40 consecutive days and the chill period of (d)(iii) is about 38 consecutive days.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the Prunus spp. plant is peach, apricot, or nectarine and the chill period of (b)(iii), (c)(iii) and (d)(iii) is about 15 consecutive days to about 25 consecutive days.

6. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the time to flowering (production of flower buds) of the Prunus spp. plant subjected to the conditions of (a)-(d) is about 15-17 months from germination as compared to about 27 to about 28 months from germination for a Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of (a)- (d) above.

7. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the time to flowering of the Primus spp. plant subjected to the conditions of (a)-(d) is about 456 to about 517 days from germination as compared about 821-852 days from germination for a Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of (a)-(d) above.

8. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the time to flowering of the Prunus spp. plant subjected to the conditions of (a)-(d) is reduced by at least about 35%, optionally reduced by about 35% to about 50%, as compared to a Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of (a)-(d) above.

9. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the time to flowering of the Prunus spp. plant subjected to the conditions of (a)-(d) is reduced by at least 300 days, optionally reduce by about 300 days to about 400 days, as compared to a Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of (a)-(d) above.

10. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the time to production of fruit by xe. Prunus spp. plant subjected to the conditions of (a)-(d) is about 18 to about 19 months as compared to about 27 to about 28 months for a Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of (a)-(d) above.

11. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the time to fruit production by the Prunus spp. plant subjected to the conditions of (a)-(d) is about 547 to about 577 days from germination as compared to about 913 days from germination for a Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of (a)-(d) above.

12. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the time to fruiting by the Prunus spp. plant subjected to the conditions of (a)-(d) is reduced by about 30% to about 50% as compared to a Prunus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of (a)-(d) above.

13. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the time to fruiting by the Prunus spp. plant subjected to the conditions of (a)-(d) is reduced by at least about 330 days,optionally reduce by about 330 days to about 370 days as compared to a Primus spp. plant that has not been exposed to the growing conditions of (a)-(d) above.

14. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the Prunus spp. plant that is at least 300 days after germination of (a) is about 300 days old to about one year old (365 days old) as measured from day of germination.

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