Published in Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, Vol. LXVIV, Issue 1
Written by Ioana Adelina STAN (ZOICAN), Mădălina BUTAC, Dorel HOZA
Knowledge of flower biology has a significant importance, particularly in sour cherry which shows different degrees of incompatibility. The main objective of this paper is to study some aspects regarding floral biology of 42 autochthonous sour cherry genotypes: beginning, ending and intensity of flowering, self-fertility, as well as the viability and germination capacity of pollen. The phenological observations were made noting the date on 1-5% of flowers opened (beginning of flowering) and when 95-100% of flowers fell (end of flowering). The degree of self-fertility was determined by isolating 100 flowers and counting the fruits set. The pollen viability was determined in acetic carmine. The pollen germination capacity was determined in vitro on solid medium (15% sucrose, 1.5 g agars, 0.01 g boric acid in 100 ml distilled water), under laboratory conditions (temperature 18-20ºC and relative humidity of 70-90%). In 2024, the average date of beginning of flowering for the 42 sour cherry genotypes was April 6, varying from April 3 at 'Drobeta’, 'Turcești’, 'Mari timpurii’, 'Mocănești 16’, 'Timpurii de Pitești’ cvs. and April 9 at the 'Bucovina’, 'Crișana 2’ and clones, 'Dropia’, 'Ilva’, 'Nana’, 'Stelar’, 'Vrâncean’, 'Mărculești’ and his clones. Average flowering duration was 9 days and average flowering intensity was medium to high (notes 3.5-4). The average value of pollen viability was 78.47%, varying from 91.85% at 'Selecție M’ genotype and 37.89% at 'Mari timpurii cl. 11’ genotype. The average value of pollen germination was 18.01%, varying from 38.55% at 'Rival’ cv. and 4.87% at 'Topologu Tulcea’ cv. Regarding self-fertility, the sour cherry genotypes studied were classified into 3 groups: self-fertile (e.g. 'Bucovina’, 'Ilva’, 'Nana’, 'Rival’, 'Suraia Vrancea’ cvs. - over 10% fruits set); partially self-fertile (e.g. 'Mocănești 16’, 'Scuturător’, 'Stelar’, 'Timpurii de Osoi’, 'Brezniţa’ cvs. - 5-10% fruits set) and self-sterile (e.g. 'Dropia’, 'Țarina’, 'Vrâncean’, 'Crişana 2’, 'Locale de Bistriţa’ cvs. – below 5% fruits set). The results regarding floral biology in sour cherry provide information regarding the use of a variety as a pollinator in commercial orchards, as well as a parent in breeding works.
[Read full article] [Citation]
