PLUMS AHMAD THAHER

DR.FAISAL SHRIM

Kingdom: Plantae

Order Rosales

Family Rosaceae

S.N Prunus domestica

Genus Prunus

Subgenus Prunus

Plums are a diverse group of species. The commercially important plum trees are medium sized, usually pruned to 5–6 meters height. The tree is of medium hardiness. Without pruning, the trees can reach 12 meters in height and spread across 10 meters.

Description

Tow type of plums :1) European types2) Japanese types

TREE PLUMS

FlowersFlowers are similar in morphology to peach

trees, but white, smaller, and have longer pedicels. Flowers are borne mostly in umbel-like clusters. European plums bloom much later than Japanese types, and are therefore less frost prone . Flower type is perfect .

Leaves

Leaves commonly have stipules at the base of each leaf

  - Simple leaves, elliptical to oblongovate, short petioles, -leaves that are alternate,, finely toothedمسننة on the margins 2-4 inch (7-10 cm) long & . Leaf Width - 1 to 2 inches

Fruit

A drupe. Oval shaped in European types, round in Japanese types. Plums require 2.5 to 6 months for fruit development. Thinning is necessary for proper size development for Japanese plums, but not always necessary for European plums.

Fruits are usually of medium size, between 1 to 3 inches in diameter. The fruit's peel is smooth, with a natural waxy surface that adheres to the flesh. The fruit has a single large seed

POLLINATION

Cross-Pollination Honey bees are the major pollinator. For Japanese plums, pollinizers are necessary for commercial production for most cultivars.

JAPANESE PLUMS

1) Santa Rosa

2) BRUCE

3) BEAUTY

4) AU PRODUCER

SOILS

Deep, well-drained soils with pH 5.5 – 6.5 give best results. However, plums are the most tolerant of all stone fruits with respect to heavy soils and waterlogging.

CHILLING HOUR

Plum trees are temperate fruit trees and need chilling to produce fruit. 

need between 250 and 350 hours of chilling

PROPAGATION

* Bud grafting.* Chip and Tongue grafting.

ROOTSTOCK SELECTION

Myrobalan 29C  is compatible with most cultivars and tolerates a wide range of soil types and climatic conditions. It produces a hardy, vigorous, long lived, standard size tree, but is prune to suckering

  Mariana 2624  is compatible with most cultivars and

produces a semi-dwarf tree (10 to 15 ft). This rootstock is typically used in northern California because it tolerates wet, heavy soils . It acclimates well to a wide range of soil types and climatic conditions. It is resistant to root fungus, crown rot, crown gall, and root nematode  

Nemaguard is a peach rootstock that produces a vigorous, productive tree with good fruit size and little to no suckering. It has (good resistance to root- nematode, but is susceptible to bacterial canker and Armillaria).

Lovell is a peach rootstock that produces a standard size tree with early fruit set and consistent crop. It is compatible with most plum cultivars. Lovell does not tolerate heavy soils and is susceptibility to root- nematode, but is partly resistant to bacterial.

Citation is a peach-plum hybrid rootstock that produces dwarf trees (8 to 12 ft) and is tolerant of wet soils. Citation is resistant to root- nematode but susceptible to crown gall and bacterial desease.

MATURITY

A variety of indices are used for plum maturity, depending on use, species/cultivar and location. Japanese plums and European plums for fresh market are harvested based on skin color and firmness, although sugar content and sugar to acid ratio has been used. Flesh color, firmness, and sugar content are the most reliable indicators for prunes; flesh turns from gree to yellow and some species to red.

EUROPEAN PLUM

1)DAMSONPLUMS

2) GREENGAGE PLUMS

3) MIRABELLE PLUMS

4) VICTORIA PLUMS

HARVEST METHOD

Plums for fresh consumption must be hand harvested,, sour cherries harvested by shake and catch methods.

The End