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TRANSCRIPT
SWEET CHERRY PHENOLOGY
IN A NORDIC CLIMATE
M. Meland, O. Frøynes, L. Coop and C. Kaiser
Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research
Norway, Bioforsk and Ullensvang
*
Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research
x
Norwegian sweet cherry production
*
• August is the main harvest season
• Short and relatively cool growing season
• Winter and spring frost rarely occurs
• International cultivars produce good quality fruit
• All sweet cherry orchards have rain covers
Three-wire rain cover system
Haygrove tunnels
Introduction
Phenological observations are considered to be
sensitive tools for identifying plant responses to
climatic changes. Temperature is a major determinant
of the rate of plant development and ambient air
temperature is commonly used to quantify responses.
ObjectiveOver the last 10 years the onset of the phenophases of
sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) during the spring
tended to be earlier in Ullensvang, western Norway.
The aim of this study was to find correlations between
air temperature and biological responses of two sweet
cherry cultivars.
Sweet cherry blossom May 2007 in Western Norway
Materials and Methods
Phenological data of different sweet cultivars have been determined in the research orchard at Ullensvang Research Centre, Norway. The effects of air temperature during the winter and spring months during two 5-year periods, 1996-2000 (P1) and 2003-2007 (P2) were studied in relation to flowering of the early maturing ‘Burlat’ and mid-season ‘Van’.
The French cultivar’ Burlat’
is mature about July 10
The Canadian cultivar
‘Van’ is mature end of July
Average start of different phenophases of the
cultivars ‘Burlat’ and ‘Van’ during two periods
(1996-2000) and (2003-2007)
Average air temperature during two
periods (1996-2000) and (2003-2007) at
Ullensvang, Western Norway
Growing degree-days (GDD) during
March-April for two 5-years periods.
Base temperture is 2⁰C
Average monthly air temperatures,
Ullensvang
Temperature C°
Month Normal 2013 2014
February -0.4 -1.8 5.0
March 1.7 -1.7 5.2
April 5.2 4.7 7.7
May 10.2 10.7
Full bloom sweet cherry: 2013- May 22, 2014 – April 28
Conclusion
Increased temperatures of the spring months, March
through April speeded up flower development
significantly.
