Changes in the nutritional composition of two varieties of orchard pear buds during the period of maximum bird damage

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Damage to fruit buds by bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula L.) is a serious problem to the fruit‐growing industry in the UK. The nutrient composition of two varieties of pear buds, ‘Conference’ and ‘Doyenne du Comice’ has been determined at intervals between mid‐February and April 1981, the time of maximum bird damage. Bullfinches preferentially take buds from Conference pear trees while Doyenne du Comice is a less favoured variety. The chemical differences between these two varieties have been shown to be slight with reference to the total nitrogen, free amino acid, protein hydrolysate amino acid, glyceride glycerol, glucose, fructose, sucrose, starch, phosphorus and cation contents. Thus the basis of the birds' preference may lie in the individual components of the groups of nutrients studied, secondary metabolites and/or the physical/developmental differences between bud varieties.