PHENOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GARDEN STRAWBERRY UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF STEPPE ZONE OF ORENBURZHYE
The results of phenological observations for strawberry varieties, conducted over the period of 10 years, are presented in the article. The terms of the plant’s generative phenological phases for the whole cycle of its growth are pointed out. About 100 garden strawberry varieties and forms of different genetic origin were the objects of the study. It is ascertained that the terms and rate of strawberry phenological development stages are greatly dependent on weather conditions. Under the conditions of Orenburzhye the vegetation period in strawberry plants starts from the first-second decade of April when the average daily temperature has settled at +5-8°.The flower stalk shooting and flower bud isolation takes place in 16-18 days after the plant’s growth start, i.e. by the end of April - beginning of May. The flowering phase sets in from the first - second decade of May when the total of sufficient (above 5°) temperatures is 300-500°. The early-flowering strawberry varieties are less demanding to heat accumulation for the start of flowering but the late-blossoming ones demand more heat accumulation for their flowering. The period from the start of blossoming to the start of ripening lasts about 2-30 days. The ripening phase starts in the first - second decades of June, with the total of efficient temperatures being about 800-1000°. The average period of ripening lasted 17 days. The analysis of studies conducted showed that the phases of flowering and ripening of garden strawberry plants in the Orenburg region set in at earlier terms and with higher totals of effective temperatures than in the European part of Russia. On the basis of data collected for many years, the terms of strawberry flowering and ripening were divided into groups. The group of early flowering and ripening varieties includes 17 strawberry types, the medium group consists of 43 varieties and the late and medium group includes 28 varieties. It is noted that to increase the period of consumption the garden strawberry fruits it would be desirable to have the varieties with different terms of ripening.