EVOLUTION OF PLUM CULTURE; CONSTRAINS AND PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

European plum (Prunus domestica) and Japanese plum (Prunus salicina and hybrids) culture are facing a relative critical period world wide. In the last two decades the annual world plum production went up to more then 7 million tones, which has 2 to 5% increase over the 1970-1990 period, although large variation from one year to another were recorded. The European plum type production is 5.5 to 5.6 million tons per year and the Japanese type plums represent 1.5 to 1.6 million tons (21 to 23% of the total plum production). The plum culture situation is dependent on the human society demands either for fresh consumption plums or processed plums. Decrease of demands for plums are due to the competitively with other fruits (apples, peaches, oranges, bananas, etc.) and availability of those all year long as result of trade globalization. The morphological characteristics of plum fruits (size, shape, and color), taste, storage ability, etc., are only several elements that contribute to decrease of demand. Advertising and information on plum consumption benefits for healthy and balanced diet are less and less present. Investments in new plum orchards in the traditional plum growing countries like Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Moldova or in Greece are very low; this can be explained by the last period economical situation of these countries which is continuing due to the financial crisis. In order to have perspectives in favor of plum culture improvements have to be done regarding cultivar assortment and behavior to virus diseases, rootstocks and orchard management. The cultivar assortment needs commercial valuable and productive genotypes, which produce large and tasty fruits that can be stored and shipped extensively. Plum rootstocks are necessary to be more available, especially those of low vigor and having good compatibility with many cultivars. Issues regarding virus infection and their reaction on plums have to be solved as soon as possible. Plum orchard management requires modernizing from all points of vue especially for the super-intensive culture.