EVALUATION OF LATE PLUM CULTIVARS IN THE REGION OF BELGRADE (SERBIA)

Abstract

Phenological traits, yield, and fruit characteristics of 14 plum cultivars of late maturation period were stud-ied in the region of Belgrade in the five-year period (2013–2017). The control cultivar for comparison was ‘Stanley’. The average time of flowering was in the first half of April, and of fruit maturation in the second half of August and the beginning of September. Yield per tree was lowest in the cultivar ‘Pozna Plava’ (10.2 kg) and highest in the cultivar ‘Topking’ (23.6 kg). Compared to the control, significantly lower yield was achieved in three cultivars: ‘Pozna Plava’, ‘Vengerka Pozdnyaya’, and ‘Narach’. Fruit weight ranged from 26.1 g in the cultivar ‘Elena’ to 57.0 g in the cultivar ‘Empress’. Compared to the control, it was sig-nificantly higher in three cultivars (‘Empress’, ‘Vengerka Pozdnyaya’, and ‘Tophit’). All studied cultivars had high soluble solids content, ranging from 17.1% to 21.6%. The best rated cultivar for fruit appearance was ‘Empress’, while cultivars ‘Nada’ and ‘Pozna Plava’ were best scored for taste.

Keywords

• Prunus domestica
• flowering
• maturation
• yield
• fruit quality