Performance of Sweet Cherry Cultivars and Advanced Selections on Gisela 5 Rootstock in Young Orchards

Abstract

Six sweet cherry cultivars and two advanced selections of Gisela 5 rootstock were tested in 2015–2021 at the Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. Fruit trees were planted at distances of 4.5 × 2.5 m and trained as spindles. Orchard floor management included frequently mown grass in alleyways with herbicide strips along tree rows. Cultivars ‘Mindaugė’ and ‘Irema BS’ were the most vigorous at the end of the seventh leaf. Their trunk diameter achieved 11.6 cm. The ‘Merchant’ cultivar had the smallest trunk diameter—9.3 cm. The average yield in 2018–2021 ranged from 2.75 t/ha for ‘Vega’ to 8.73 t/ha for ‘Regina’. Cultivars ‘Regina’, ‘Sunburst’, ‘Irema BS’ and ‘Merchant’ had the highest cumulative yield efficiency of 0.440–0.503 kg/cm2 with respect to the trunk cross-section area (TCSA). The least productive cultivar ‘Vega’ produced fruits of the highest average weight—9.9 g. Fruits of ‘Regina’ and ‘Sunburst’ were large as well—8.8–9.1 g. ‘Irema BS’ fruits had the highest soluble solids content (SSC)—20.2%. The lowest SSC was recorded in ‘Merchant’ and ‘Sunburst’ fruits—14.7–15.8%. The yield of advanced selection, No. 102, equaled to the yield of cv. ‘Regina’. No. 102 had a high fruit weight, and fruits were distinguished by attractiveness and taste.