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Chapter 7 - Plum (Prunus salicina) and Prune (Prunus domestica)
No full textThere are numerous plum species that are commercially grown, but Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) and European plum/prune (P. domestica L.) account for the majority of commercial plum production. They are among the most widely cultivated stone fruit trees in the world, ranking second in production after peach, with a global production exceeding 13 million tons. However, plum and prune cultivation faces several challenges and limitations. One of the main difficulties is the limited diversity of traditional varieties cultivated, with global production depending largely on a small number of traditional cultivars. A significant and complex aspect of growing these species is floral self-incompatibility, which must be considered when designing plantations to ensure the inclusion of compatible pollinating varieties that flower at the same time as the main variety of interest. Another serious constraint is the incidence of Sharka disease caused by plum pox virus (PPV), which affects both quality and quantity of production. This chapter provides means to overcome these crop-related challenges, the adaptation of the industry to evolving consumer demands, and expectations to face growing market competition. We additionally address new technological, agronomic, and environmental challenges, including the impact of climate change and ecological sustainability
Sensory characteristics of Serbian plum spirit
No full textPlum spirit is Serbian national spirit drink. Due to its importance in the tradition and life of people in Serbia, it has been included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2022. Serbian plum spirit is characterized by specific sensory characteristics (colour, clarity, typicality, smell and taste) influenced by many factors.
In Serbia, there are several types of plum spirits; the differences in their aromatic profile are mainly determined by the plum varieties used, the production method [1], and market requirements. The assortment of plums in Serbia consists of numerous autochthonous varieties, as well as varieties created through breeding. Monovarietal plum spirits, produced in the same way from different plum varieties, can have a completely different sensory profile and a wide range of sensory quality. Besides monovarietal spirits, bivarietal and multivarietal plum spirits can be obtained by blending compatible monovarietal plum distillates; leading to sensory quality of multivarietal plum spirit exceeded the quality of the component distillates. Orchard locality, fruit ripening stage, harvest year, as well as certain pomo-technical measures (e.g. pruning) can significantly affect the sensory characteristics of plum spirit. Various combinations of pre-distillation steps (pitting, fruits crushing or pulping, enzyme addition, lowering the pH of the plum mash, method of alcoholic fermentation, and length of the fermented mash storage) can also significantly alter the sensory character of plum spirit [2]. The distillation technique also has an influence on the smell and taste of the distillate. The aforementioned factors are the sources of volatile compounds that form the plum body and define its sensory quality. Only in the case of maturing (aging) in wooden barrels, the distillate is enriched not only by volatile, but also with non-volatile compounds that affect the colour and taste of plum spirit
The influence of new clonal rootstocks on tree growth, productivity, fruit quality and antioxydant activity of European plum
No full textThis study aimed to evaluate the effects of new clonal rootstocks (‘Wavit’, ‘Weiwa’, ‘Docera 6’, and ‘Dospina
235’) and Myrobalan seedling on the tree growth, productivity, fruit quality attributes and antioxidant capacity
of two European plum cultivars (‘ˇCaˇcanska Lepotica’ and ‘Jojo’) during a three-year period.
The results indicated that choice of both rootstock and cultivar significantly influenced evaluated characteristics.
‘Myrobalan’ enhanced tree vigour and fruit size, whereas ‘Wavit’ resulted in the highest yield efficiency.
Fruit quality varied, with ‘Jojo’ showing larger fruits and superior secondary metabolites content, TPC and
antioxidant capacity, whereas ‘ˇCaˇcanska Lepotica’ had higher vitamin C content and TA. Rootstock effects on
primary and secondary metabolites were also significant. ‘Myrobalan’ influenced higher soluble solids content
SSC, ‘Dospina 235’ promoted higher content of sugars and ‘Wavit’ impacted induced higher vitamin C levels. The
greatest influence on TPC and TAC was promoted by ‘Docera 6’, the highest TFC by ‘Dospina 235’, and the
highest TAc by ‘Wavit’. ‘Jojo’ exhibited greater tree size, but lower yield compared to ‘ˇCaˇcanska Lepotica’. The
study highlighted the complex interactions between cultivar, rootstock, and growing conditions. Analysis of
these interactions revealed that certain rootstocks were associated with better fruit quality attributes and antioxidant
levels.
These findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate rootstocks, as well as suitable cultivar/
rootstock combination and managing growing conditions to optimize plum production and fruit quality
Pollen–pistil interactions in autochthonous Balkan sweet cherry cultivars – the impact of genotype and flowering temperature
No full textThe efficacy of sweet cherry production is highly dependent on the regularity of flowering events and genetic-determined relations between female sporophyte and male gametophyte, which became even more important with higher flowering temperatures caused by climate change. Special attention is paid to the genetic diversity that provides essential sources of potential temperature-tolerance genes. Our study aimed at the genetic and reproductive characterization of Balkan cherry cultivars of autochthonous origin (‘Canetova’, ‘G-2’, ‘Dolga Šiška’ and ‘Ohridska Crna’), and six potential pollinizers. To identify S-haplotypes, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used to detect the S-ribonuclease (S-RNase) and S-haplotype-specific F-box protein (SFB) alleles, combined with fragment analysis and S-RNase sequencing. Pollination experiments were performed at three Balkan localities over two flowering seasons, and the fluorescence microscopy method was used to assess the cultivars’ male/female reproductive behaviour. A novel S-RNase allele S40 was identified in ‘Ohridska Crna’ for the first time. ‘Ohridska Crna’ also demonstrated the best adaptability to higher temperatures regarding primary ovule longevity. This feature makes it desirable from the aspect of breeding new cultivars that can withstand the impacts of climate change. The findings on male-female relations and their temperature dependence open up the possibility for yield prediction and smart horticultural decisions that can be made to guide cherry production
Pollen ultrastructure characterization in sweet cherry genotypes
No full textTo increase sweet cherry production, it is essential to develop and introduce new cultivars. Success in this effort depends on prior germplasm characterization, a crucial step in selecting genotypes for the breeding process. The aim of this study was to examine the dimensions, shape and surface morphology of pollen grains from various sweet cherry genotypes by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to develop an additional alternative identification tool. Pollen grains of ten sweet cherry genotypes were analyzed, including one cultivar released in Republic of Serbia (ՙCanetova՚); six introduced cultivars (ՙBurlat՚, ՙKordia՚, ՙLapins՚, ՙRita՚, ՙSummit՚, ՙSunburst՚) and three local/autochthonous genotypes from Balkan region (ՙG-2՚, ՙDolga Šiška՚, ՙOhridska Crna՚). For each genotype, the following characteristics were determined: pollen length (L), pollen width (W), L/W ratio, colpus length (CL), colpus width (CW), mesocolpium width (MW), number of ridges per 100 μm² of exine surface (NR), ridge width (RW), and furrow width (FW). All genotypes had elliptical, tricolpate pollen grains and striate exine ornamentation, with more parallel longitudinal ridges. Based on the coefficients of variation (CV), it can be noticed that characteristics related to pollen size showed lower variability (CV=1.7–4.3%) compared with exine characteristics (CV=5.5-12.1%). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that PW, L/W, MW, RW and NR are relevant tools to discriminate among the genotypes studied. The distribution of genotypes along PC1/PC2 scatter plot showed that there is considerable variation among them. Although measurements on pollen grains did not reveal individually big differences, when all characteristics were considered together, pollen of each genotype showed a unique pattern. This suggests that pollen grain morphology is to a large extent genetically determined which may be of great importance for the genotype characterization
Field Performance of Tissue Culture and Standard Propagated Raspberry Under Different Irrigation Regimes
No full textHealthy plant material that is uniform and genetically pure is essential for the successful raspberries production since it guarantees quality and consistent yields. A 4-year study (2018–2021) focused on raspberry cultivars “Meeker” and “Willamette”, which were propagated by tissue culture (MpP) and root suckering (RsP) methods in three irrigation regimes (IR1-100% ETc, IR2-50% ETc, and IR3-25% ETc). “Meeker” had longer primocanes, higher productivity, sweetness, soluble solids, and sugar content in IR1. Micropropagated plants demonstrated initially longer primocanes (177.9 cm in 2018 and 203.5 cm in 2019) and slightly better productivity compared to root-suckered plants. Over time, the growth rates of plants obtained by two vegetative propagation methods became similar. The IR1 irrigation regime maximized yields per floricane and meter of trellis in 2019 and 2021 (619.8 and 501.9 g and 2.5 and 2.0 kg, respectively), providing sufficient water for raspberry plants. IR1 improved primocane height in 2018 and 2021 (181.3 and 238.3 cm), fruiting lateral length (31 cm), and number of flowers per fruiting lateral (10.7) in 2021. In all experimental years, “Meeker” showed a high sweetness index (8.53, 11.28, and 9.36) due to high sugar and low acid content, but it was sensitive to water deficit. “Willamette” maintained high total anthocyanins and stable sugar content, which emphasizes its adaptability to different conditions. Both cultivars showed high antioxidant activity with variability across study years. Antioxidant activity peaked in 2019 under all irrigation regimes and remained stable in 2021. The cultivar “Meeker” excelled in vegetative growth, productivity, and fruit taste, making it suitable for obtaining high yields in a 100% ETc irrigation level. In contrast, “Willamette” is better suited for obtaining high-quality fruit under water-limited conditions
Proliferation of axillary shoots of selected berry and fruit tree cultivars in bioreactors
No full textThis study aimed to develop efficient protocols for the proliferation of berry and fruit tree cultivars in temporary immersion bioreactors. Plant material consisted in axillary shoots of 3 cultivars of genus Rubus (R. idaeus cv Meeker and Willamette, R. subg. Rubus Watson cv Cacanska Bestrna) and 2 cultivars of genus Prunus (P. domestica cv Crvena Ranka and P. cerasus cv. Oblacinska). These cultivars were selected because of their importance in Serbian horticulture. They were established in vitro in the Serbian FRI and transferred to the MBG in a COPYTREE collaboration through a STSM. Factors investigated included bioreactor type, immersion frequency, cytokinin concentration and the use of physical supports to hold explants in a vertical position. After six weeks, data were collected on shoot number per explant -differentiating between normal and hyperhydric shoots, the shoot length and multiplication coefficient, defined as the number of nodal segments useful for multiplication obtained per initial explant. Vigorous shoots cultivated in liquid medium were rooted in medium with auxin either in jars or in bioreactors using temporary or continuous immersion. The five cultivars grew well in bioreactors, with Meeker, Willamette and Cacanska Bestrna being easier to manage as they didn’t show hyperhydricity. Experiments to evaluate the effect of cytokinin oxidase inhibitors on proliferation capacity are currently in progress
Phytochemical diversity of the fruit of autochthonous plum cultivar ‘Crvena Ranka’ from different growing sites
No full textAutochthonous plum ‘Crvena Ranka’ is an important cultivar traditionally used for the production of highquality brandy in Serbia, with increasing potential for export. ‘Crvena Ranka’ which contains a high amount of sugars, quinic, shikimic, fumaric acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, flavanols and anthocyanins can be recommended as a source of germplasm for developing new plum cultivars with a high nutritional value and for processing into high nutritional quality products [1]. This study aimed to evaluate the variability in the phytochemical composition of fruits of ‘Crvena Ranka’ collected from six geographically distinct growing sites. These locations were selected to represent a range of altitudes, from 184 to 1200 m above sea level (a.s.l.). Primary (sugars and organic acids) and secondary metabolites (phenolic compounds) in the fruits were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phenolic compounds were identified by coupling HPLC with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The growing location had a highly significant influence on the composition of primary metabolites, while the variability in secondary metabolites was less pronounced. The highest levels of both individual and total sugars were detected in fruits from Gornja Gorevnica (Čačak, 358 m a.s.l.), while the most favorable organic acids profile was observed in fruits from Teočin (Gornji Milanovac, 642 m a.s.l.). In total, 45 individual phenolic compounds were identified, including both nonanthocyanins and anthocyanins. Across all sites, non-anthocyanin phenolics were consistently present in higher amounts than anthocyanins. The lowest concentrations of both phenolic groups were recorded in fruits from Gledić (Kraljevo, 509 m a.s.l.), whereas the most favorable sugar-to-acid ratio and the highest total phenolic content were found in fruits from Karan (Užice, 562 m a.s.l.). These results indicate that growing sites at altitudes between 400 and 600 meters are particularly favourable for enhancing both the taste and health-promoting properties of ‘Crvena Ranka’, highlighting the importance of site selection for optimizing fruit quality
Self-compatibility in plum cultivars released from a breeding program in Serbia
No full textThe breeding program at the Fruit Research Institute, Čačak has released eighteen plum cultivars. Over two years, the self-compatibility of fifteen of these cultivars was determined, with open pollination used as a comparison. Pollen germination in vitro was tested in each cultivar. For observing pollen tube growth in vivo, self- and open pollinated pistils were fixed on the 3, 6 and 10 days after pollination or full flowering. Fixed samples were stained with fluorochromic stain aniline-blue and observed under the microscope. In both pollination treatments initial and final fruit set was determined. In six cultivars, average two-year pollen germination was above 31 %, while in the other cultivars it was below 27.0 %. In both years, pollen tube growth in the majority of cultivars finished after ten days (except ‘Jelica’, ‘Čačanska Rana’, ‘Čačanska Najbolja’, and ‘Čačanski Šećer’) with penetration into the nucellus. Pollen tube growth in both treatments was better in the Year 2, when the mean daily temperature was 5°C higher. The slower pollen tube growth of the abovementioned cultivars, except for ‘Jelica’, was followed by low initial fruit set. The highest rate of final set was found in ‘Krina’ and ‘Zlatka’ (36.9 % and 35.5 %), whereas in ‘Čačanska Rana’, ‘Čačanska Najbolja’ and ‘Čačanski Šećer’ no fruit were harvested. Plum cultivars developed at Čačak are self-compatible (‘Čačanska Lepotica’, ‘Čačanska Rodna’, ‘Valjevka’, ‘Valerija’, ‘Mildora’, ‘Boranka’, ‘Krina’, ‘Zlatka’, ‘Pozna Plava’) or partially self-compatible (‘Jelica’, ‘Timočanka’, ʻNada’), or self-incompatible (‘Čačanska Rana’, ‘Čačanska Najbolja’, ‘Čačanski Šećer’)
Quality monitoring of apple fruit during long-term cold storage
No full textThis study aims to evaluate the post-harvest characteristics of two commercial apple cultivars (ʻGloster’ and ‘Morren’s Jonagored®’), examining their quality at harvest and after storage for different period (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 months). Physical (fruit weight, weight loss, and firmness) and chemical traits (total sugars content (TSC), titrable acidity (TA), and TSC/TA ratio) were determined using standard laboratory methods. A comparison of the apple cultivars showed that ‘Morren’s Jonagored®’ had a higher fruit weight (217.87 g), while ‘Gloster’ exhibited higher fruit firmness (10.18 kg cm-2). The TA content was higher in ‘Gloster’ (0.45%), while TSC/TA ratio was higher in ‘Morren’s Jonagored®’ (32.96). No significant differences were observed in weight loss and TS content. At harvest, fruits of the apple cultivars exhibited the highest values for weight and firmness. During cold storage, a decrease was observed, and after 8 months, the investigated quality parameters showed the lowest values, along with the highest fruit weight loss (10.10%). The highest TSC content in apple fruit was recorded after 2 months of storage (10.33%), TA after 4 months (0.43%), while the highest TSC/TA ratio was observed at the end of the cold storage (35.03). A throughout analysis indicates that both cultivars are well-suited for long-term cold storage, as no significant changes were observed in the physical and chemical properties of the apple fruits throughout the storage period. This stability suggests their potential for extended shelf life and consumer acceptance