Biological characteristics of new European plum genotypes developed in Serbia

Abstract

The paper presents results of three-year investigations of the most relevant biological characteristics (flowering and ripening time, morphometric, chemical and organoleptic properties of fruit) and field resistance to causal agents of economically most important viral (plum pox virus) and fungal (red leaf spot, rust and fruit rot) diseases of new plum genotypes ‘Lana’ and ‘G’. ‘Lana’ was bred at Fruit Research Institute, Čačak and released in 2020. Elite genotype ‘G’ was singled out at Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad and currently is under recognition. The experiment was conducted at Čačak's agroecological conditions, whilst ‘Čačanska Rana’ and ‘Čačanska Lepotica’ used as standard cultivars for ‘Lana’ and ‘G’, respectively. In comparison with appropriate standard, average flowering onset of ‘Lana’ and ‘G’ was one and two days later. The ripening time of ‘Lana’ was July 20th, nine days later than in ‘Čačanska Rana’, while for ‘G’, it was July 29th, ten days after ‘Čačanska Lepotica’. Compared to ‘Čačanska Rana’, cultivar ‘Lana’ had significantly higher fruit weight (85.04 g) and dimensions, similar content of soluble solids (14.54%), higher total acids (1.20%) and lower ratio of the soluble solids and total acids (12.55). The fruit weight (41.87 g) and dimensions of genotype ‘G’ were similar to those of ‘Čačanska Lepotica’, but significantly higher soluble solids (17.65%), total sugars (10.23%), sucrose (3.95%) and ratio of the soluble solids and total acids (17.49) were found. The fruit organoleptic properties of new plum genotypes were in line with standards. In addition, both genotypes demonstrated the same level of field resistance to Plum pox virus as standards and better results regarding the field resistance to causal agents of fungal diseases.