Properties of new Serbian genotypes of European plum grown in the region of Čačak (Serbia)

Abstract

‘Lana’ and ‘G’ are the latest genotypes of European plum that were developed in the Republic of Serbia. ‘Lana’ was obtained at Fruit Research Institute, Čačak from the cross ‘California Blue’ × ‘Ruth Gerstetter’ and named and released in 2020. Genotype ‘G’ is spontaneous seedling selected at Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad and was recognized at the beginning of 2022, but has not yet been named. In order to examine performance of those cultivars in agro-ecological conditions of Čačak, this study was done during three consecutive years (2016–2018). The most relevant biological characteristics (flowering and ripening time; morphometric, chemical and organoleptic properties of fruit) and field resistance to causal agents of economically important viral (Plum pox virus) and fungal (red leaf spot, rust and fruit rot) diseases were evaluated. ‘Čačanska Rana’ was used as a standard for ‘Lanaʼ, while ‘Čačanska Lepotica’ was control cultivar for ‘G’. ‘Lanaʼ exhibited later flowering onset (one day) and ripening time (10 days), larger fruit and higher level of field resistance to causal agents of red leaf spot and rust than ‘Čačanska Rana’. The fruit organoleptic properties and field resistance to Plum pox virus of ‘Lanaʼ were in line with standard, though similar or lower values of investigated fruit chemical properties were observed. The flowering and ripening time of genotype ‘G’ occurred two and 10 days later than in ‘Čačanska Lepotica’. The morphometric and organoleptic fruit properties of genotype ‘G’ were similar to those of ‘Čačanska Lepotica’, although significantly higher values of the assessed fruit chemical properties were found. Also, genotype ‘G’ demonstrated the same level of field resistance to Plum pox virus as standard and better results regarding the field resistance to causal agents of fungal diseases.