Results of the study of newly introduced plum cultivars in Kyustendil region, Bulgaria

Dimitar Sotirov, Stanislava Dimitrova

Abstract: During the period 2011-2019 plum cultivars Top, Topfirst, Tophit, Topgigant Plus and Topstar Plus, introduced from Germany, were studied together with the Stanley as a standard. The plantation was created in the spring of 2011 at planting distances of 4 × 3 m. The trees were grafted on Prunus cerasifera seedlings, trained as freegrowing crowns, and grown without irrigation. At the end of the 8th year after planting, Topfirst trees had the thickest stems and Top had the thinnest ones. The cultivars formed trees with a smaller crown volume than Stanley. Their flowering began after that of Stanley, and the harvest period was from July 10 to September 10. The fruit of Topfirst were ripened first, and Top at the latest. The highest yields were obtained from Stanley and Topfirst, and with the highest productivity coefficient were Topend Plus and Top. The fruit weight ranged from 22.4 g at Top to 77.5 g at Topgigant Plus. The studied cultivars are suitable for cultivation in the region of Kyustendil and can successfully enrich the plum assortment.

Keywords: fruit weight; P. domestica L.; phenology; tree vigour; yield

Date published: 2019-12-06