Tree growth, productivity and fruit properties of early ripening European plum (Prunus domestica L.) cultivars

Abstract

European plum is one of the most important temperate zone fruit species in the northern hemisphere. In the Republic of Serbia (RS), this species is beside apple and raspberry of great importance in terms of production, processing, consumption, export, employment of people and tradition. Therefore, constant improvement of plum production is necessary. The extension of the harvest season and the presence of fresh fruits on the market for a longer period is one of the significant aspects of that improvement. This is achieved by developing new cultivars with an earlier or later ripening time as well as cultivars that have better storage capability. Generally, cultivars with an earlier or later ripening time have a better price on the fresh fruit market. However, these cultivars, particularly of early ripening time have not been present to a significant extent in the orchards in the RS. Bearing this in mind, we investigate tree vigour (TCSA), productivity (yield per tree and yield efficiency), and the most important fruit physical (fruit and stone weight, flesh percentage, fruit dimensions, and sphericity) and chemical properties (contents of soluble solids, total and reducing sugars, saccharose and total acids, as well as ripening index and pH value) of three domestic ('Boranka', 'Čačanska Rana' and 'Valerija') and three introduced ('Katinka', 'Tegera' and 'Opal') early ripening cultivars which were harvested from the middle of the first to the end of the second decade of July. Obtained results showed that significant differences were found among cultivars for all examined characteristics. Overall, the assessed early-ripening cultivars could be grown to some extent in commercial orchards in the RS.