Fruit bearing shoot characteristics of European plum (Prunus domestica L.) and Japanese plum (Prunus salicina lindl.): Cultivars

Abstract

Morphological properties of fruit bearing shoots: length, number of flower buds and vegetative buds and their ratio were studied in 11 cultivars of European plum and 11 cultivars of Japanese plum during a two-year period. Fruit bearing shoots were divided into two groups: long (shoots) and short (spurs). For all studied traits, statistically significant differences between plum cultivars were found. Japanese plums had lesser thickness and shorter internodes of shoots in relation to European plums. They also had a significantly higher number of flower buds both on shoots and spurs. Based on obtained results, recommendations for pruning can be made. Cultivars with a higher number of flower buds per 1-m length and in relation to vegetative buds, like most varieties of Japanese plum and some varieties of European plum ('Stanley', 'Topper', 'Top', 'Topking'), require severe pruning. On the other hand, cultivars with lower density of flower buds, such as 'Čačanska rana' and 'Golden Plum', can be pruned slightly.

Kod 11 sorti evropske šljive i 11 sorti japanske šljive u periodu od dve godine proučavane su morfološke osobine rodnih grančica: dužina, broj cvetnih i vegetativnih pupoljaka i njihov odnos. Rodne grančice podeljene su na dve grupe: duge i kratke. Japanske sorte šljive su imale manju debljinu i kraće internodije na dugim rodnim grančicama u odnosu na evropske sorte šljive. One su takođe imale znatno veći broj cvetnih pupoljaka kako na dugim, tako i na kratkim rodnim grančicama. Na osnovu dobijenih rezultata mogu se dati preporuke za izvođenje rezidbe. Sorte sa većim brojem cvetnih pupoljaka po 1 m dužine i u odnosu na vegetativne pupoljke, kao što je slučaj kod većine sorti japanske šljive i nekih sorti evropske šljive (Stanley, Čačanska lepotica, Toper, Top, Topking) zahtevaju jaču rezidbu. Sa druge strane, kod sorti sa manjom gustinom cvetnih pupoljaka kao što su Čačanska rana i Golden Plum, potrebno je primeniti rezidbu slabijeg intenziteta.