Selection of plum cultivars for subtropical regions

ABSTRACT: Plum growing is widespread in temperate zones. In Brazil, the exploitation of this fruit tree is extended from the colder regions of the state of Rio Grande do Sul to the south of the state of Minas Gerais. However, cultivars exploited at subtropical regions are scarce due to competition. The present study aimed to select productive cultivars of plums adapted to Brazilian subtropical conditions. In this respect, the plum cultivars ‘Fla 87-7’, ‘Gema de Ouro’, ‘Grancoure’, ‘Harry Pickstone’, ‘Januária’, ‘Santa Rosa’ and ‘Satsuma’ were grafted on the ‘Okinawa’ rootstock ‘and evaluated by two cycles in the municipality of Lavras, MG, Brazil. The phenological development, physical and chemical properties of fruits, average number of fruits per plant, average fruit mass and estimated yield were evaluated for each cultivar. It is concluded that plum cultivars ‘Januária’ and ‘Grancoure’ are the most promising for subtropical regions, mainly due to the volume of produced fruits and the quality of fruits.