Initial and Final Fruit Set in Plum Cultivar 'Pozna Plava' as Affected by Different Types of Pollination

Abstract

The paper presents two-year results of the study of the initial and final fruit set in newly bred plum cultivar 'Pozna plava' grown under agroecological conditions of Serbia, which were subjected to different types of pollination. 'Pozna plava' is one of the latest ripening plum cultivars, with fruits of excellent quality, tolerant to Sharka. It has tendency to bear alternately. 'Pozna plava' investigated under self-pollination and cross-pollination conditions (with 'Cacanska najbolja' and 'Prezenta' as pollinizers). The study of the initial and final fruit set under the conditions of open pollination was concurrently performed. The progress, duration, abundance, flowering time overlap, as well as in vitro pollen germination of 'Pozna plava', 'Cacanska najbolja' and 'Prezenta' plum cultivars were monitored. 'Pozna plava' is a late-bloom cultivar, with medium flowering abundance and medium in vitro pollen germination (25.62%). Fruit set under open-pollination conditions was higher in second year of the study, due to favourable weather condition during the flowering period. Preliminary results indicate that 'Pozna plava' has low final fruit set with 'Cacanska najbolja' and 'Prezenta' as pollinators.