The objective of the research was to determine an index of dormancy (ID) of temperate climate fruit trees buds for evaluation of the biological test of single node cuttings. The biological tests had been done from April to September of 2007 and 2008 with plum, peach, persimmon, kiwi and grape trees. Based in the values of average time for budburst (ATB), velocity of budburst (VB), final rate of budburst (FR), rate of vigorous budburst (RVB) and its correlations, the ID was developed for the five species. The interpretation classes of dormancy were separate in deep, intense, moderate, weak and absent. The ID developed for evaluation of the biological test of temperate climate fruit trees buds demonstrated to be an important tool for interpretation of the results with higher precision.
budburst; biological test; Prunus; Vitis; Diospyros; Actinidia
