Performance of Some Japanese Plum (Prunus salicina) Cultivars in Mid-hill Condition of Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

A study was conducted during February to July, 2020 and 2021 at the Horticultural Research Station Seobagh, Himachal Pradesh, India to evaluate various attributes of plum under the mid-hill temperate zone. Ten plum cultivars Red Beaut, Au Rosa, Au Amber, Satluj Purple, Kala Amritsari, Shiro, Frontier, Mariposa, Black Amber, Queen Rosa, and Angeleno grafted on wild apricot were evaluated alongside with numerous standards in a high-density experimental orchard, and these types were compared with the “Santa Rosa” variety as a control. According to the findings, Red Beaut ripened first whereas the cultivar Mariposa took 150 days from flowering to harvest, making it the last to be picked. The cv. Au Rosa had the largest trunk girth (44 cm), cv. Mariposa likewise had the longest shoots, measuring 180 cm, cv. Frontier had the highest fruit output per tree (145 kg), closely followed by the cv. Black Amber (140 kg) which also has maximum fruit size (5.4 cm), and weight (130 g). The cv. Frontier (14.1°B) showed the highest TSS, followed by the cv. Mariposa (14.0°B), while the cv. Kala Amritsari showed the lowest TSS. The plum cultivar Kala Amritsari displayed the highest fruit acidity, at 2.3%. Due to their ability to extend the repining period from May through August, the plum cultivars Red Beaut, Frointer, Mariposa, and Black Amber were found to be appropriate for commercial cultivation in Himachal Pradesh.