Comparative evaluation of apple cultivars under late spring frost conditions in the hilly area of Bistrița
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59463/3zxrta45Keywords:
apple cultivars, breeding programs, bud survival, late spring frost, phenological response, stress toleranceAbstract
Late spring frosts, whose frequency and intensity have increased in the context of climate change, represent a major risk factor for fruit tree production. Such a climatic event (minimum temperature of −5.2°C) was recorded at the beginning of April 2025, causing significant damage in orchards located in the hilly area of Bistrița. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of apple cultivars to late spring frost and to identify genotypes with high frost tolerance potential. The research was carried out within a comparative apple orchard established in 2021 at the Fruit Research and Development Station (FRDS) Bistrița, comprising 33 cultivars and two hybrids, all grafted onto the MM106 rootstock. Frost injury was assessed by determining the percentage of affected flower buds and by monitoring fruit set and fruit production. For each cultivar, 100 flower buds were examined, and the degree of damage was expressed as a percentage. The recorded values ranged between 32.2% (hybrid Ifo 1/6) and 93.7% (cultivar Dacian), highlighting a high variability in cultivar response to frost stress. The observed differences among cultivars emphasize the variability in frost response and underline the importance of selecting plant material adapted to local climatic conditions. These results provide valuable information for cultivar micro-zoning and offer useful support for breeding programs aimed at developing apple cultivars with enhanced tolerance to late spring frosts.
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