Study of apricot winter hardiness under controlled conditions

Abstract

Abstract. The purpose of the research is to study the winter hardiness of apricot cultivars and hybrids and identify the most resistant ones to damaging factors of the winter period for use as sources for a given trait in breeding. Methods. The studies were carried out by artificial freezing using a climate chamber. Results. It was determined that apricot cultivars ‘Abrikos iz Kitaya’, ‘Agafonovskiy’, ‘Vostochno-Sayanskiy’, ‘Kunach’, ‘Lel’’, ‘Oblepikhovyy’, ‘Orlovchanin’, ‘Sardoniks’, ‘Triumf severnyy’ and hybrids 21183, 23659, 23688, 23797, 24071 and 24206 they have the component I of winter hardiness. ‘Orlovchanin’, ‘Triumf severnyy’ and hybrids 24071 and 24206 were characterized by maximum frost resistance (the component II of winter hardiness). ‘Agafonovskiy’, ‘Vostochno-Sayanskiy’, ‘Desertnyy’, ‘Oblepikhovyy’, ‘Triumf severnyy’ and 24206 had the ability to maintain frost resistance when the temperature droped to –17 °C after a three-day thaw of +2 °C (the component III of winter hardiness). It is important to note the average level of frost resistance of generative buds in ‘Abrikos iz Kitaya’, ‘Kunach’, ‘Orlovchanin’, ‘Podarok Vekhovu’, ‘Sardoniks’, ‘Khabarovskiy’ and hybrids 21183, 23659, 23688, 23797, 24071. At the end of winter, ‘Abrikos iz Kitaya’, ‘Agafonovskiy’, ‘Vostochno-Sayanskiy’, ‘Desertnyy’, ‘Oblepikhovyy’, ‘Orlovchanin’, ‘Sardoniks’, ‘Triumf severnyy’, ‘Khabarovskiy’ and hybrids 21183, 23797, 24071, 24206 were able to restore frost resistance at a temperature of –25 °C after a three-day thaw of +2 °C and re-hardening (component IV of winter hardiness). Scientific novelty. As a result of artificial freezing, perspective cultivars ‘Orlovchanin’, ‘Triumf severnyy’ and hybrids 24071, 24206 characterized by the greatest frost resistance potential for the main components of winter hardiness were identified for further use as sources for this trait in breeding.