Cherry tree growth models for orchard management improvement

Authors: MIRJANA LJUBOJEVIC, VLADISLAV OGNJANOV, GORAN BARAC, JOVANA DULIC, MAJA MIODRAGOVIC, MIRJANA SEKULIC, NATASA JOVANOVIC LJESKOVIC

Abstract: Twelve cultivars and selections of sweet and sour cherries were surveyed and characterized agromorphologically. A total of 33 characters, mainly defined by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute and the International Union for the Protection of New Cultivars of Plants, were used to describe the tree, branches, leaves, blooming, and fruits. This allowed unequivocally clear separation between six distinct growth forms-compact, dwarf, upright (pillar), columnar, weeping, and standard form-as well as evaluation of their interaction with four rootstocks of different vigor. Natural tree habit diversity within distinct growth forms has the potential to reduce pruning and training requirements in cherry, particularly in medium- and high-density planting. The reported unique growth forms, within compact and columnar tree habit of sour and sweet cherries, combine specific genetic potential of scion fruiting habits and vigor. Genetic diversity was confirmed by simple sequence repeats. Research showed that multiple interactions exist between rootstock and genotypic determined components of the tree architecture, namely branching density, shoot growth dynamics, flower bud differentiation, and distribution. Developed ideotypes are new foundational concepts of modern production strategies bringing significant contribution to improvement of cherry orchard training systems, light interception, efficient fruit harvest, and economics.

Keywords: Breeding, ideotype, orchard technologies, Prunus avium L., Prunus cerasus L., tree architecture

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