Assessment of adaptive potential of selected cherry varieties for the south of the Non-Black Earth Region

Abstract

On the basis of its biological characteristics, sweet cherry belongs to warm-season crops. Introduced most recently in the more northern areas (Central Black Earth and Central regions), it is in demand by the population as a new fruit crop. In 2010, 44 forms were selected from the seedlings of the Bryanskaya Rosovaya variety (free pollination). In this work, the most adaptable, yielding, large-fruited seedlings producing a fruit having a small seed were selected for breeding and economic use. The research was carried out in the experimental plot of the orchard at the All-Russian Lupine Research Institute in Bryansk region in 2019–2021. Light grey forest soil was used; pHKCl 5.9; humus – 2.37 mg/kg, P2 O5 – 251 mg/kg of soil, K2O – 181 mg/kg of soil. The heat summation by years amounted to 2020–2460 °C. The annual precipitation amounted to 436–714 mm. Subjected to contrasting weather conditions, varieties combining a high level of economic traits in their genome and having an attractive marketable appearance were selected. The seedlings 6-2-8, 6-2-5, 6-2-3, 6-1-20 demonstrated the highest yield of 5.9–14.5 t/ha. From year to year, the variation of this trait was less than 10%. The seedlings 6-2-27 (the maximum mass of the fruit amounted to 8,1 g; the size of the seed amounted to 4.2 % of a fruit size), 6-2-8 (8.5 g; 4.8 %), 6-1-20 (8.5 g; 4.6 %), 6-1-8 (7.8 g; 4.9 %), 6-2-14 (7.9 g; 5.4 %), 6-2-22 (8.7 g; 5.5 %) represent the largest varieties, having small seeds. For these traits, the noted varieties showed a medium to high level of variability of 7–17 %. In the future, they will be used in breeding as sources of economic traits.