Evaluation of raspberry cultivars grown in the western Serbia region

Abstract

A trial was conducted to determine biological and pomological traits of raspberry cultivars grown in western Serbia region (2003-2006) with the aim to introduce those with the most desirable properties into production. The studies included morphometrical properties of fruits, i.e. number of drupes and seed mass, as well as yield properties viz. yields per shoot, meter and unit of land area. Fruits of cv. Tulameen and selection K 81-6 (4.28 g and 4.11 g, respectively) were larger than those of cv. Willamette (3.40 g) which, in this respect was superior to cvs Meeker (3.29 g) and Latham (2.40 g). The greatest number of drupes was recorded in selection K 81-6 (94.97), whereas drupes were fewest in cv. Latham (54.79). As regards seed mass, cv. Tulameen performed the best (2.68 mg), while cv. Latham recorded only -1.49 mg. Seed mass in the cultivars and selection studied was significantly higher in dry seasons, i.e. the first and third year of study. The greatest average number of shoots per meter and total number of shoots per hectare were observed in cv. Willamette (5.51 and 22,026; respectively), while, in this regard, cv. Tulameen (5.43 and 21,712; respectively) and selection K 81-6 (5.43 and 21,711; respectively) had the poorest performance. Cv. Willamette gave the highest yields per shoot (449 g), meter (2,475 g) and unit land area (9,900.49 kg/ha), whereas the yields examined were the lowest in cv. Latham (5,692.08 kg/ha) which also had the highest percentage of misshapen fruits (2.06%). The third year of study recorded the highest number of misshapen fruits in all the cultivars and selection studied (2.00%).