Fruit Development in Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.)

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Saskatoon fruits, an emerging horticultural crop across the Canadian prairies, vary greatly in size among cultivars. In this study, we compare fruit development patterns among large, medium, and small fruited cultivars of saskatoon, and assess the role of seed number and pedicel diameter on fruit size. Fruit growth patterns of four cultivars (Thiessen, Northline, Regent, and Smoky) were determined from weekly measurements of fruit diameters and fresh and dry flower/fruit weights during two consecutive growing seasons. The developmental patterns of fruit growth determined using the above criteria were similar among cultivars and between years. At maturity, the largest fruits (fresh weight) obtained were from cv. Thiessen, followed by `Northline', `Smoky', and `Regent', in descending order. Pedicel diameters (one week prior to maturity) correlated linearly with increasing fruit diameter and fresh weight. At maturity, seed number per fruit correlated linearly with increasing fruit weight. Thiessen contained significantly more seeds per fruit (4.6) than `Northline' (3.7), `Smoky' (3.2), and `Regent' (3.2).