Published in Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, Vol. LXVI, Issue 1
Written by Vladut Alexandru OPRITA, Corina GAVAT, Leinar SEPTAR, Ion CAPLAN, Andrei CERNATESCU
The south-eastern part of Romania, especially the one of influence of the Constanta Fruit Resort, has faced in the last years with serious problems generated by the late and the return frosts. Late frost that occurred in spring affect apricot plantations, causing irregularities in the constancy of fruit production and their quality, gummy leaks and sensitivity of trees to the attack of apricot-specific pathogens. The research was conducted in an orchard of apricot aged 9 years, located at 18 km away from Constanta. Trees planted at a distance of 4x4m were studied during the vegetation season paying particular attention to resistance to low temperature. In the winter of 2017, temperatures decreased to -17 degree C and produced losses of flower buds. In the spring of 2018, the 'Elmar’ variety bloomed well, 100% of flower buds being resistant to negative temperatures from winter. In 2019 was a warm winter but the temperature decreased in January to -17 degree C and the trees suffered a thermal shock. Following, resistance to frost decreased and the percentage of flower buds affected was 76.6%. In 2020 'Elmar’ variety was not affected. In February of 2021 were, recorded temperatures of -16 degrees C associated with very cold wind, the flower buds were affected in 60%.
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