The effect of recurrent frosts in spring on the fruiting of stone crops

Abstract

The yield of stone crops in the Southern Urals is mainly determined by favorable weather conditions during flowering and ovary growth. Significant damage to the crop is caused by recurrent frosts not so much in the flowering phase as in the ovary growth phase. A characteristic feature is the critical frosts at the end of May, damaging the young ovaries. The delay of the flowering phase in 2018 against the background of other years of observations by 10-20 days contributed to the fruiting of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) and increased yields of other sensitive crops, such as nanking cherry (P. tomentosa Thunb.). sand cherry (P. pumila L.) is characterized by relatively later flowering periods, and therefore the last critical frosts in some years fell at the beginning of flowering and did not significantly reduce the yield. Critical frosts during the flowering period do not lead to a complete or almost complete loss of harvest if they fall at the beginning or middle of the period. Later blooming flowers are able to provide partial fruiting. Therefore, not only the late start of flowering, but also an increase in the duration of flowering can provide a higher stable yield over the years.