Articles
Development of fruit growing in Slovenia over time
Article number
1438_22
Pages
193 – 200
Language
English
Abstract
The development of fruit growing as an agricultural industry in Slovenia has taken place from its early beginnings to the present day.
It began with the collection of scattered fruit, followed by hobby fruit growing and pomology, which was mainly characteristic of the orchards of monasteries and manor houses, and finally, agricultural fruit growing, which was only introduced in the 19th century.
A characteristic feature of agricultural fruit growing was that fruit trees grew together with other crops or in orchards used for hay or pasture.
There were different varieties of fruit trees in such orchards.
It was only through the efforts of educated fruit growing enthusiasts, often teachers or clergymen, and the establishment of fruit growing schools that fruit growing began to establish itself as an independent branch of industry in the mid-19th century.
Changes in the cultivation methods of fruit plants were gradually introduced, with significant changes only becoming noticeable after the Second World War.
At that time, plantation fruit growing began, in which orchards were planted with several cultivars of the same fruit species, and the fruit was the only crop in the orchard.
In the first orchards, the tree rootstocks were still seedlings, and the trunks were initially tall, but later, in the second half of the 20th century, the trees were planted with low trunks.
After 1970, the orchards were mainly planted on weak rootstocks.
The tree density increased significantly from the original 300-500 to 1,500-1,800 and finally to 3,000-5,000 apple trees ha‑1.
It began with the collection of scattered fruit, followed by hobby fruit growing and pomology, which was mainly characteristic of the orchards of monasteries and manor houses, and finally, agricultural fruit growing, which was only introduced in the 19th century.
A characteristic feature of agricultural fruit growing was that fruit trees grew together with other crops or in orchards used for hay or pasture.
There were different varieties of fruit trees in such orchards.
It was only through the efforts of educated fruit growing enthusiasts, often teachers or clergymen, and the establishment of fruit growing schools that fruit growing began to establish itself as an independent branch of industry in the mid-19th century.
Changes in the cultivation methods of fruit plants were gradually introduced, with significant changes only becoming noticeable after the Second World War.
At that time, plantation fruit growing began, in which orchards were planted with several cultivars of the same fruit species, and the fruit was the only crop in the orchard.
In the first orchards, the tree rootstocks were still seedlings, and the trunks were initially tall, but later, in the second half of the 20th century, the trees were planted with low trunks.
After 1970, the orchards were mainly planted on weak rootstocks.
The tree density increased significantly from the original 300-500 to 1,500-1,800 and finally to 3,000-5,000 apple trees ha‑1.
Authors
M. Hudina, R. Veberic
Keywords
fruit growing, history, planting density, Slovenia
Groups involved
- Division Ornamental Plants
- Division Temperate Tree Fruits
- Division Temperate Tree Nuts
- Division Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nuts
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Vegetables, Roots and Tubers
- Division Sustaining Horticulture in a Changing World
- Division Horticulture for Human Health
- Division Landscape and Urban Horticulture
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Plant Genetic Resources, Breeding and Biotechnology
- Division Postharvest and Quality Assurance
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
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