PLUM BREEDING IN BRITAIN

Irregular cropping has been a major factor in the dramatic decline of plum growing in Britain.
Low winter chilling requirements leading to early bud burst and slow pollen tube growth at the ambient temperatures prevailing at blossom time are identified as major causes of small crops in many years so the first objective in breeding is to produce later flowering cultivars.
Other desirable characters would be frost resistance, faster pollen tube growth at low temperatures or shorter styles.
Progress is being made towards such objectives in the plum breeding programme at Long Ashton.

Symposium on Plum Genetics, Breeding and Pomology

R.P. Jones, D. Wilson

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1978.74.12