EVALUATION OF SOME INTRODUCED APPLE CULTIVARS IN ESTONIAToivo UniverEstonian University of Life Sciences

Polli: 58°7’ N 25°32’ E

Climate of Estonia

Estonia lies in the transition zone betweenmaritime and continental climate.

The average annual temperature in Estonia is 5.2 °C. The average temperature in February is −5.7 °C and in July is 16.4 °C.

Low temperatures. Over the last five years the lowest recorded temperature was ‒35.5 °C.

Snow cover usually lasts from mid-December to late March.

The duration of apple tree vegetation period is 170‒175 days in South Estonia.

Precipitation during the vegetative growth cycles is 350‒400 mm.

Main problems in apple production

are short vegetation period and frequenttemperature fluctuations during the winterperiod.

lack of winter hardy apple cultivars with highfruit quality.

Objective

to evaluate newly bred apple cultivars from neighbouring countries and find out cultivars which are winter hardy, scab resistant and with high fruit quality.

Material and methods

An orchard trial was established in spring 2008 at the Polli Horticultural Research Centre.

with 37 apple cultivars. Trees were grafted on B396 rootstock. Planting distance 4×2 m. One replication, and it consisted of ten trees. In the trial following characters was measured:

yield, fruit weight, trunk diameter.

Apple cultivarsCultivar OriginKallika, Kanni, Kastar, Katiliina, Kikitriinu, Liivika, Tiina Estonia

Dace*, Edite*, Gita*, Roberts*, LatviaRubinola* Czech RepublicKonsta, Talvikki FinlandEgeria, Lodel, Odra*, Ligolina, Medea, Wars* PolandPriam* FranceLiberty* USAYubilyar*, Kandil Orlovsky, Orlovskoye Polesye*, Solnyshko*, Stroyevskoe*, Venyaminovskoye*

Russia

Alesya, Antey, Belorusskoye Sladkoye*, Imant*, Darunak*, Pamyat Kovalenko*, Pospehh*, Nadzeiny*

Belarus

Streifling Herbst Old Europeanlandrace

* Scab resistant apple cultivar

Tree survival rate, % (2009-2012)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

DarunakPriam

LibertyYubilyarRobertsMedeaLigolina

WarsGita

LodelNadzeiny

PospehhImantAnteiEdite

EgeriaOdra

RubinolaAlesya

DaceKandil Orlovsky

KastarKikitriinu

LiivikaOrlovskoye PolesyePamyat Kovalenko

SolnyshkoStroyevskoye

VenyaminovskoyeYelena

Trunk diameter, cm (2009-2012)

0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4 4,5

GitaRoberts

AlesjaImantDaceLodel

KonstaPamyat Kovalenko

MedeaYelenaEgeria

Streifling HerbstEditeTiina

KastarLigolina

KanniPospehhYubilyar

LibertyLiivika

NadzeinyWars

KikitriinuAntei

KallikaOdra

TalvikkiVenyaminovskoye

StrojevskoyeKatiliinaRubinola

Kandil OrlovskySolnyshko

average

Yield, kg per tree (2009-2012)

0 5 10 15 20 25

TalvikkiKanniEdite

KonstaLibertyMedea

DarunakPriam

EgeriaKallika

StroyevskoyeKatiliina

WarsLodelGita

ImantRobertsLigolina

VenyaminovskoyeStreifling Herbst

Orlovskoye PolesyeOdra

YelenaRubinola

NadzeinyKikitriinuPospehhJubilyar

TiinaDace

LiivikaSolnyshko

Kandil OrlvskyPamyat Kovalenko

AlesyaKastarAntey

2009

2010

2011

2012

Average fruit size, g (2009-2012)Fruit size Cultivar

Very large(>200 g)

Talvikki, Robets, Antey

Large(151‐200 g)

Streifling Herbst, Yubilyar, Orlovski Polesye, Solnyshko, Kikitriinu, Kastar, Pospehh, Kallika, Tiina, Gita

Average(111‐150 g)

Nadzeiny, Pamyat Kovalenko, Imant, Alesya, Darunak, Stroyevskoye, Konsta, Edite, Liivika, Kanni, Kandil Orlovski, Egeria, Katiliina, Venyaminovskoye, Liberty, Priam, Wars, Rubinola

Small(<110 g)

Odra, Medea, Ligolina, Lodel, Yelena

Conclusions

Regarding winter hardiness, yield efficiency and fruit quality ‘Antey’, ‘Alesya’, ‘Dace’ and ‘Liivika’trees were similar than those on ‘Tiina’ and ‘Streifling Herbst’.

‘Yelena’, ‘Pamyat Kovalenko’, ‘Kastar’, ‘Solnyshko’, ‘Kandil Orlovski’ and ‘Talvikki’ are winter hardy.

‘Nadzeiny’ and ‘Yelena’ are precocious cultivars.

‘Dace’ (BM41497 × ’Eksotika’)

‘Liivika’(L8 × L25)

‘Pamyat Kovalenko’ (’Belorusskoye malinovoje’ × BM41497)

‘Rubinola’(’Prima’ × ’Rubin’)

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