The behaviour of plum varieties in the context of climate change in the Northern region of Moldova

Abstract

The research was carried out with 6 plum cultivars as: 'Piteștean', 'Cacanska Najbolia', 'Empresso', 'Stanley', 'Blue Free' and 'President (C) ', grafted on the rootstock Prunus cerasifera Mhr, planting distance 5.0x3.0 m, crown shape mixed pyramid with high volume. During the research, the diameter and growth of the trunk, the TCSA, the phenological phases of the fruiting organs during 2025 year, the morphological parameters of the fruit and seeds, the number of fruits, their average weight, the fruit yield per tree, per unit area, as well as per unit TCSA was studied. It was established that the studied cultivars had a favourable condition for growth and fruiting in the northern part of the country. Lower production, of 11.7 t/ha, was registered for the Blue Free variety, and higher production for the cultivars 'Piteștean' (25.4 t/ha) and 'Cacanska Najbolia' (27.6 t/ha). The other cultivars registered average values (18.3-21.7 t/ha), characteristic of intensive plum plantations. The ripening period for the studied cultivars was distributed over 45 days of harvesting. It has been established, that the biological characteristics of the variety, the climatic conditions and the age of the plantation have a direct influence on the number of fruits per tree, the average weight of plums, the fruit production per tree, per hectare and per unit of trunk cross-sectional area.