Productivity of apricot cultivars of medium late and late maturity in the Belgrade area

Abstract

Characteristics of productivity and growth (yield per tree, trunk crosssectional area, yield efficiency and fruit weight) were studied in 30 apricot cultivars of medium late and late maturity in the Belgrade area during the six-year period (2009?2014). The cultivar ?Hungarian Best? was used as a control for comparison. The period of study was divided into initial bearing (trees aged three to four years) and full bearing (trees aged five to eight years). Significant differences in yield between cultivars and years were found. An average yield in the period of initial bearing ranged from 0.6 to 6.4 kg per tree, and in the period of full bearing from 4.5 to 18.4 kg per tree. Compared to the control cultivar, significantly higher yield was obtained in 11 cultivars. Adverse weather conditions resulted in a significant reduction in yield in two out of six years of study. Cumulative yield efficiency varied from 0.10 to 0.85 kg/cm2 and in 13 cultivars it was significantly higher compared to the control cultivar. Fruit weight ranged from 26.6 to 81.1 g. Compared to the control, fruit weight was significantly higher in nine cultivars, and significantly lower in ten cultivars. On the basis of high yield and large fruit size, introduced cultivars ?Roxana?, ?Mary de Cenad? and ?Silvercot? as well as domestic cultivars ?Novosadska Rodna?, ?NS-4? and ?NS-6? can be recommended for growing in the Belgrade area.