Prospects for increasing the resistance of cherry-plum (Prunus cerasifera Ehrh.) plants to the impact of negative air temperatures in the steppe Crimea

Abstract

Increasing winter hardiness and frost resistance of cherry plum plants is more and more important due to climate change. Flower buds of cherry plum plants are damaged by recurrent frosts in the areas with an unstable winter. This leads to destruction of crops and trees. The goal of research was to evaluate 283 cherry plum hybrids to the effects of low temperatures in the steppe Crimea and to select promising genotypes. The research was guided by the known methods. 31 hybrids were selected, they showed the greatest resistance to negative temperatures in adverse years. Frost resistant hybrids with fruits of dessert taste (5), with separating stone (9), with late flowering (16) were selected. The greatest number of promising hybrids were obtained in combinations with the original varieties from cherry-plum hybrid with Taurian cherry-plum , typical cherry-plum between itself and cherry-plum hybrid with the typical cherry-plum.