Physiological adaptations of the Japanese plum tree for agricultural productivity: A promising crop for high altitude tropics

Abstract

The Japanese plum tree is of great importance in the productive development of Colombian fruit growers due to its nutritional contribution to human health, its great adaptability in the tropical highlands, and its good yields. This review presents the current investigative state of physiology of this plant and its management in tropical highlands, including aspects such as its ecophysiology, forced production, gas exchange, flowering, pollination, and fruit development. In Colombia, Japanese plum production systems are adapted between 1,670 and 2,900 m a.s.l., average solar brightness of 1,400 h per year, 12 h photoperiods, temperatures between 14 and 20°C during the day and 6 and 8°C during the night, and rainfall between 700 and 1,600 mm per year. Under these conditions, management can be implemented to produce cyclical crops of the Japanese plum. This management consists of the selection of varieties with low chilling requirement, chemical defoliation, proper fertilization, fruit and green pruning, and the application of chemical substances that promote the breaking of flower buds. Flowering and pollination require a high specificity so that they do not present incompatibility. The growth and development of the fruit requires 1,538 degree days until harvest. This review indicates the great adaptability, management, and production of Japanese plum in the Colombian high tropics.