Articles
PRELIMINARY WORKS TO CONSOLIDATE SWEET CHERRY CROP (PRUNUS AVIUM L.) IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE MURCIA REGION, SPAIN
Article number
1020_64
Pages
471 – 475
Language
English
Abstract
Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is considered as an alternative crop for Mediterranean environments with mild winters, as occur in some areas of the Murcia Region, Spain.
There are also some cooler areas where sweet cherry performs well, such as Jumilla.
To introduce this crop in diverse environments, an I+D project has been developed.
It involves researchers and technical workers of Public Organizations who have responsibilities in experimentation and research, and advanced growers of the Murcia Region.
A regional trial network has been established since 2005. Annual reports have been presented on the website http://www.imida.es/paginas/doc.html.
Results are also communicated by other media, such as industry meetings, radio, TV and press.
The first results show that: a) Prunus mahaleb doesn’t perform well in most soils of Murcia because of root and crown rot incidence, but it can be substituted by Mariana 2624 or peach × almond hybrids (several selections) using myrobolan Adara as an interstock; b) some years sweet cherry flowering and harvest can be advanced or delayed in areas of mild winters according to the amount of chilling and the dates of chilling accumulation; c) the occurrence of twin fruits is related to high tempera¬tures during floral differentiation, but it also seems to be a genetic character linked to cultivar genotype; and d) the number of flowers per cluster differ significantly between cultivars and is greater on the north side of the canopy, where less direct solar radiation is received.
Sweet cherry growers from mild winter Mediterranean areas can profit from early harvest, when market prices are usually favourable.
There are also some cooler areas where sweet cherry performs well, such as Jumilla.
To introduce this crop in diverse environments, an I+D project has been developed.
It involves researchers and technical workers of Public Organizations who have responsibilities in experimentation and research, and advanced growers of the Murcia Region.
A regional trial network has been established since 2005. Annual reports have been presented on the website http://www.imida.es/paginas/doc.html.
Results are also communicated by other media, such as industry meetings, radio, TV and press.
The first results show that: a) Prunus mahaleb doesn’t perform well in most soils of Murcia because of root and crown rot incidence, but it can be substituted by Mariana 2624 or peach × almond hybrids (several selections) using myrobolan Adara as an interstock; b) some years sweet cherry flowering and harvest can be advanced or delayed in areas of mild winters according to the amount of chilling and the dates of chilling accumulation; c) the occurrence of twin fruits is related to high tempera¬tures during floral differentiation, but it also seems to be a genetic character linked to cultivar genotype; and d) the number of flowers per cluster differ significantly between cultivars and is greater on the north side of the canopy, where less direct solar radiation is received.
Sweet cherry growers from mild winter Mediterranean areas can profit from early harvest, when market prices are usually favourable.
Publication
Authors
D. Frutos, G. López, A. Carrillo , J. Cos , F. García, P. Guirao, D. López , R. Ureña
Keywords
Prunus avium L., rootstocks, cultivars, behaviour, mild winter
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