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International Journal of Horticultural Science 2012, 18 (2): 15–22. Agroinform Publishing House, Budapest, Printed in Hungary ISSN 1585-0404 Commercial varieties of European plums grown in Hungary, a comparison of promising foreign varieties with the widely grown traditional ones Kovács, Sz.1, Molnár, Á.1, Szenci, Gy.2 & Tóth, M.1 1Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem, Gyümölcstermô Növények Tanszék 2Budapest-Érd, Állami Gyümölcs- és Dísznövénytermesztési Kutató-Fejlesztô Közhasznú Nonprofi t Kft. Summary: Observations and investigations performed in laboratory at several growing sites over a period of many years are summarised on established plum varieties as well as on new promising ones concerning their marketing value. The ripening period of plum varieties was enlarged substantially with the appearance of new varieties of extra late maturity (‘Elena’, ‘Tophit’, ‘Presenta’). The new varieties did not alter the traditional colour, more or less long, violet or blue character of the plum. The most known type, ‘Besztercei szilva’ with its accustomed taste was followed by the new varieties ‘Katinka’, ‘Tegera‘, ‘Hanita’ and ‘Presenta’. The fruit size are largely of the medium category, except the early ripening small ‘Katinka’, whereas the larger and attractive (~60 g) fruits are represented by the late ripening ‘Tophit’ and ‘Empress’. The stone/fruit ratio was lowest in 3% (‘Tophit’) and 6% (‘Besztercei Bt. 2’, ‘Hanita’, ‘Jojo’, ‘ ‘Čačanska rana’) at the other end of the scale. The width and thickness of the fruit fl esh between 28 mm (‘Besztercei szilva’) and 43-44 mm (‘Empress’, ‘Tophit’). The fi rmness of the fruit fl esh excelled in the late maturity varieties ‘Presenta’ and ‘Tophit’ (~4 kg/cm2). Water soluble solids were 12-13 Brix% (‘Čačanska rana’, ‘Katinka’, ‘Silvia’) and 20 Brix% (‘Presenta’, ‘Tophit’), whereas titrated acids are found between 0.2% (‘Besztercei Bt. 2’) and 1.2% (‘Tegera’). Key words: plum, time of maturity, pomological properties, yields, content of water soluble solids, acids Introduction and survey of the literature ‘Stanley’, ‘President’). The picked fruit is easily stored for fresh consumption over several weeks (Surányi, Erdôs, 1998; Plum growing is a Hungarian tradition since centuries. Surányi, Erdôs, 2006; Szabó, 2001), where the role of new Its popularity is founded by its long ripening period and its German varieties is decisive (Szabó, 2001; Surányi, Erdôs, advantageous fruit characters. Up to the present times, plums 1998; Jacob, 1998, 2002; Hartmann, 1998). for fresh consumption as well as for industrial procession are For the grower, one of the most important faculties highly appreciated on the market. of the variety is the fruit mass. According to literature we At the moment, the National List of Varieties contains may distinguish small (less than 25 g), medium (25–35 g), 20 varieties of State Registration, 3 of them belong to the large (35–45 g) and very large (more than 45 g) categories Japanese plum species. The majority of the list is Prunus (Szabó, 2001). However, on the market, the diameter of the domestica L.), but the round shape is typical for ‘Althann fruit is considered. For fresh consumption the large fruit has ringló’, ‘Zöld ringló’ and ‘Sermina’ which are named Prunus a diameter of 30-35 mm, the rest ought to have 25–28 mm x italica convar. claudiana (i.e. Raineclaudes). The origin (Szenci, 2006). of varieties is variable. Three are considered as Hungarian, Large varieties (mainly in the early season) plums and the rest German, Serbian, Czech, French, Rumanian, Italian raineclaudes are sold preferably for fresh consumption. (National List of Varieties 2011). The structure of varieties is Medium and small fruits are ready for deep cooling and changing gradually. There is a tendency to prefer varieties, industrial processing, where the high content of soluble which are more tolerant to the sharka virus, high yielding solids is highly appreciated (Szabó, 2001). and autofertile (self-compatible). The majority is a member The nutritional value of the plum is due to its chemical of “domestic” group (Kovács, 2009). composition. Compared with other fruits of the moderate The plum season lasts in Hungary for almost 3 mounts. climate, the energy content is considerable (244 kJ/100 g). The fi rst ripe fruit appears around the end of June, early July Carbonhydrates are 10–18%, but the alcohols (like sorbite, by ‘Ruth Gerstetter’. The season is ended by ‘President’ at xylite) are also considerable. The acid are mediocre (0.5– the mid of September. To the late period belong the varieties 1.4%), where malic acid prevails but we may fi nd tartaric, with large, fi rm fruits and high soluble solid content (e.g. succinic and citric acids too. (Rodler, 2005; Surányi, 2006) 16 Kovács, Sz., Molnár, Á., Szenci, Gy. & Tóth, M. Tóth (1957) and Surányi (1990, not published) measured ‘Čačanska lepotica’, ‘Čačanska rana’, ‘Čačanska rodna’, as lowest soluble solids in ‘Grand Prix’ and ‘Sasbachi ‘President’, ‘Silvia’, ‘Stanley’, ‘Valjevka’. The promising, korai’ (14%), and highest in ‘ Čačanska secer’ (23%) and in new foreign varieties are from Germany: ‘Elena’, ‘Hanita’, ‘Violaszín ringló’ (27%) varieties. Lowest acid content was ‘Jojo’, ‘Katinka’, ‘Presenta’, ‘Tegera’, ‘Tophit’ and from the in ‘Nancy mirabella’, ‘Ageni’ ‘Besztercei szilva’ (0.4–0.5%), USA ‘Empress’. whereas highest acids in ‘Silvia’ (1.3%) and in ‘Nagyherceg’ For the morphological, physical and chemical charac- (1.7%) (Surányi, 1980; Szabó & Nyéki, 2006c). As a rule, terisation, fruits have been used randomly 30 per variety at the late ripening varieties contain mor soluble solids and les 85–90% stage of ripening. The samples have been processed acids (Surányi, 2006). within 1–2 days after storing in 5–7 oC cool store. In the case of ‘Empress’, the sampling was performed according to the practice of the company, at 75–80% ripeness. Objectives set Morphology (form of the fruit, colour of skin and of fl esh, parting of stone) physical (mass, width, thickness, stone/ We aimed to compare the new and potentially promising fruit ratio, fl esh fi rmness), chemical (water soluble solids, plum varieties with the traditional and appreciated ones form vízoldható szárazanyag-tartalom (Brix%); titrable acids) the point of view of their marketing value. For that purpose, analyses were performed in the laboratory at the Department utilised the bulk of data accumulated during many years on of Fruit Growing of the University. Water soluble solids are a couple of growing sites and analysed in the laboratories determined according to the Codex Alimentarius 3-1-558/93; during our practice. rendelkezésünkre. whereas the titrable acids according to the standards of MSZ EN 12147:1998. Evaluation and processing of data ensued by the Excel Material and methods program of the computer. The investigation pointed on commercial value of fruit Table 1. Field observations, sampling sites and dates of plum varieties started with 2006 in the plantation of the Variety Site of the analysis Dates (years) BCE KTK Experimental Farm, collection of varieties at Szigetcsép, Érd-Elvira, Althann ringló 2006, 2007, 2009 Szigetcsép, the plantation of the Kevefruct ZRt, paralleling Soroksár with 2007, 2008 in the fi elds of the non-profi t Fruits and Besztercei Bt. 2 Érd-Elvira 2007 Decorative Plants Kft at Érd-Elvira. With 2009, the Budapest Besztercei Nm. 122 Érd-Elvira 2007 Corvin University, Dpt. Fruit Growing contributed on the Bluefre Szigetcsép, Érd-Elvira 2006, 2007 Ráckeve, Szigetcsép, Experimental Farm at Soroksár to the project. The dates and Čačanska lepotica 2006–2011 conditions of fi eld observations are presented in Table 1. Érd-Elvira, Soroksár Plum trees have been grown on Myrobalan rootstocks Čačanska rana Szigetcsép, Érd-Elvira 2006–2008 Szigetcsép, Érd-Elvira, in a 6 × 4 m planting design (Szigetcsép, Érd-Elvira), or Čačanska rodna 2006, 2007 2010, 2011 5 × 3 m (Soroksár, Ráckeve). Planting dates are at Szigetcsép Soroksár Ráckeve, Érd-Elvira, in autumn 1991 and spring 1992. At Érd-Elvira, the variety Elena 2006–2009 Soroksár collection started in 1996 and 1998, and with new varieties Empress Ráckeve 2006 (‘Jojo’, ‘Elena’, ‘Presenta’, ‘Tegera’) in 2004. The plantation Hanita Ráckeve, Érd-Elvira 2006–2008 of Ráckeve started in 2002–2003, at Soroksár, the gene bank Jojo Érd-Elvira, Soroksár 2007–2011 in autumn 2004 and 2005. Katinka Ráckeve, Érd-Elvira 2006–2008 At Szigetcsép no pruning has been performed, conse- Presenta Érd-Elvira, Soroksár 2008–2009 quently, trees showed their their natural habits. For the pur- Szigetcsép, Érd-Elvira, President 2006–2009 pose of maintaining the fruiting, dense crowns have been Soroksár thinned. At Érd-Elvira and Soroksár, the trees have been Ráckeve, Szigetcsép, Silvia 2006, 2007 trained to free spindle crown. Érd-Elvira At Szigetcsép, the space between the rows has been Ráckeve, Szigetcsép Stanley 2006–2009 co-vered with sod and mown regularly. The plantation Érd-Elvira, Soroksár was not irrigated during the season of observations, and Tegera Érd-Elvira 2008 phytosanitary treatments were minimised. The collection Tophit Soroksár 2009 has been abolished in the winter of 1996. The intensive Valjevka Érd-Elvira 2007 plantation at Ráckeve and the model farm of Soroksár with the collection of varieties was also covered by sod and irrigated occasionally. Fertilisation was performed on the Results and discussion basis of soil- and leaf-analysis. (Oral informations of Béla Bódis 2011; Gyôzô Szenci and Miklós Makay Miklós, 2010). The season of maturity of the commercial varieties The study dealt with varieties signifi cant in Hungarian grown in Hungary comprises 2.5 months (Figure 1). The markets: ‘Althann ringló’, ‘Besztercei szilva’, ‘Bluefre’, fi rst ripe fruits appear during the second ten-day’s period of Commercial varieties of European plums grown in Hungary, a comparison of promising foreign varieties with ... 17 July with ‘Čačanska rana’ érik, whereas the latest around the Varieties are generally free stone types, but ‘Čačanska mid of September with ‘President’ (Szabó, 2001; Surányi, rana’ and ‘Stanley’ start to have free-stones during the ripen- Erdôs, 1998).

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