ASSESSMENT OF SWEET CHERRY CULTIVARS OBTAINED AT RESEARCH STATION FOR FRUIT GROWING IASI, ROMANIA

The aim of this paper is to present valuable features of sweet cherry cultivars with different maturation ages of the fruits approved at RSFG Iasi between 2017 to 2021. Due to its fruits ripening age being earlier than other fruit-growing species (beginning with May), the cherry represents the first link in the annual chain of fruits production. Analysing the bloom phenophase, it was noticed that the cultivars Margonia and Croma bloom period was about two weeks later than the other cultivars. The maturation age of the fruits was spread over 57 days, starting on May the 21st for cultivar 'Cătălina', ending on July 16th for cultivar 'George'. Statistically, in terms of fruits weight (g) and equatorial diameter (mm), cultivars 'Alexus' (9.4 g and 26.6 mm), 'Elaiaşi' (8.8 g and 25.4 mm), 'Croma' (8.0 g and 24.2 mm), 'Maria' (7.8 g and 23.7 mm) and 'Tereza' (7.8 g and 25.4 mm) were highlighted with superior significant differences in comparison with the control cultivar 'Van' (7.4 g and 25.2 mm). In terms of the fruits content in soluble dry substance, cultivars 'Tereza' (19.2%), 'Alexus' (18.6%), 'Maria' (17.8%) and 'Cătălina' (17.8%) recorded superior significant values in comparison with the control cultivar 'Van' (17.7%). All the studied cultivars presented superior resistance to the fruits cracking phenomenon in comparison with the control cultivar 'Van' (41.8%) recording values below 16%.