Initial Growth and Yield of Skeena, Kordia and Ferrovia Sweet Cherry Varieties on Gisela 5 Rootstock

Abstract

Evaluation and testing rootstocks for sweet cherry and combinations variety / rootstock began long time ago and the goal was to find those solutions that respond better to the specific climatic and soil conditions in terms of adaptability, precocity, productivity and constancy in the fructification of the varieties in the high-density orchard system. This work addresses to these issues by assessing the behavior of the modern sweet cherry varieties 'Skeena', 'Kordia' and 'Ferrovia' grafted on dwarfing rootstock Gisela 5. The trial has been set up in 2009 and it has placed in Pitesti Maracineni area. The trial includes lot of trees planted at a distance of 4 x 2 meter row and plant distance, high density orchard of 1250 trees with drip irrigation system and individual support for trees and trellis. Observations and measurements made on the growth and fructification particularities of these sweet cherry varieties on rootstock Gisela 5 had revealed 'Kordia' as the most vigorously cultivar comparatively to the other two varieties in terms of increased growth of TCSA and total annual tree growth, the weakest being 'Ferrovia' variety. This variety formed the highest number of spur branches per tree and had the highest percentage of fruit set which lead to the obtaining of a higher yield per tree and per unit area.