Evaluation of growth and fruit production characteristics of 15 saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) cultivars at maturity

Abstract

The objective of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the growth, yield, fruit size and ripening characteristics of mature plants of 15 saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) cultivars. Data were collected from two sites in Saskatchewan over 5 yr (1999–2003). The cultivars included Bluff, Buffalo, Forestburg, Honeywood, JB30, Martin, Nelson, Northline, PAR 90, Parkhill, Pearson II, Pembina, Smoky, Success, and Thiessen. Mean annual growth of shoots ranged from 10.5 cm yr-1 for Parkhill to 21.4 cm yr-1 for JB30. The number of days for fruit to change from 10 to 90% ripe did not differ among the cultivars and averaged 13.8 d. The Julian date to attain 50% ripe fruit ranged from 196 to 209. Fruit of PAR 90, Honeywood, JB30, Martin, Success and Thiessen matured 4–13 d earlier than fruit of Bluff, Northline, Parkhill, Buffalo, Nelson, and Pembina. Marketable yields, which averaged 93.4% of the total harvested yields, ranged from 0.72 to 4.16 kg plant-1. Pearson II, Honeywood, and Smoky had greater marketable yields (4.1–4.16 kg plant-1) than did PAR 90, Parkhill, Nelson, Success, and Pembina (0.72–2.49 kg plant-1). Thiessen, Martin, PAR 90 and JB30 had the largest fruit (13.3–13.9 mm), and Success and Bluff had the smallest (10.8–10.9 mm). Data from this study provide a basis on which to evaluate currently available cultivars and new cultivars or future selections that may be developed. Key words: Amelanchier alnifolia, fruit size, shoot growth, cultivar evaluation, ripening