2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Japanese apricot (Latin Prunus mume) - fruit crop; a representative of the genus Plum of the Pink family. Other names are Mume or Japanese plum. In nature, it grows on mountain slopes and rocky areas in North and Central China. Today it is widely cultivated in Japan and Korea.
Characteristics of culture
Japanese apricot is a medium-sized deciduous shrub or tree up to 7 m high with a smooth gray-green bark and densely arranged bouquet branches. Leaves are green, hard, ovate, with a lanceolate apex, dentate along the edge, pubescent on the underside. The flowers are numerous, white or pink, simple or double, sessile, have a pleasant aroma.
Fruits are medium-sized, greenish or yellow, with a brown pit that cannot be separated from the pulp. Japanese apricot is ranked among fast-growing crops, the first harvest of fruits can be obtained as early as 2-3 years after planting. To date, several varieties have been bred, differing in large fruits with a dessert taste. Japanese apricot is a thermophilic plant and is resistant to damage by sawfly, shark and even moth.
Varieties
In Russia, mainly varietal varieties of Japanese apricot are grown. These include:
* Fast-growing - is a hybrid of Russian origin. It is represented by vigorous trees with a rounded spreading crown. The variety is winter-hardy and high yielding. The fruits are round, fragrant, have a sweet and sour taste.
* Souvenir of the East - is a hybrid of Sino-American origin. It is represented by medium-sized trees with a spreading crown. The variety has a high yield, winter hardiness and resistance to rot of various types. The fruits are rather large, weighing up to 40 g, have a yellow-orange juicy pulp with a sweet-spicy taste.
* Kahinta - the variety is represented by medium-sized trees that begin to bear fruit in the third year after planting. The fruits are ovoid, with a tough skin. The variety is moderately yielding, frost-hardy, needs annual pruning.
* Alyonushka - the variety is represented by vigorous trees. The fruits are large, equipped with short stalks. The variety boasts a high yield, but is unstable to rot. Fruits are ovoid, with dessert flavor pulp.
Care
Japanese apricot is a rather demanding culture. Productivity largely depends on the correct care of the trees, starting from an early age. One of the most important procedures is formative pruning. The first pruning is carried out immediately after planting the seedling; the procedure involves shortening not only the skeletal branches, but also the trunk.
The most optimal type of crown for Japanese apricot is sparse-tiered. For this, six strong skeletal branches are selected on young trees, and they are laid at a large angle to the trunk. In the future, pruning consists in shortening the fruiting branches and is carried out annually in the spring.
To provide the Japanese apricot with the necessary nutrients, fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers is required. Timely feeding is the key to the active growth of trees and the formation of a good harvest of fruits. The soil in the near-stem zone must be kept free of weeds. It is highly undesirable to use herbicides containing glyphosate for these purposes, especially in the first 2-3 years after planting.
Watering should be regular, water volumes and frequency are increased during drought. Some varieties of Japanese apricot are affected by pests and diseases, and they need frequent preventive treatments. If insects are found on trees, they are sprayed with insecticides or organic infusions.
Application
Japanese apricots are widely used in cooking and alcoholic beverages. They are used to prepare jams, preserves, mashed potatoes, marmalade, compotes, pickles, marinades, as well as liqueurs and moonshine. Cultural trees are often used as a rootstock. In Japan, Japanese apricot is a symbol of resilience; a festival is timed to coincide with its flowering in this country.
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© Alena Bashtovenko Latin name: Prunus Family: Pink Headings: Fruit and berry crops Apricot (Latin Prunus) is a popular fruit crop belonging to the genus of deciduous trees of the Rosaceae family. Nowadays, many types of apricots are actively cultivated in warm countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, some European countries), and are also cultivated in the south of the Russian Federation.
Manchurian Apricot
Manchurian apricot (Latin Prunus mandschurica) - fruit crop; a representative of the genus Plum of the Pink family. It is rarely found in nature, mainly in Korea, China, Mongolia and in the Primorsky Territory of Russia. It is a rare species.
Common Apricot
Common apricot (Latin Prunus armeniaca) - fruit crop; a representative of the genus Plum of the Pink family. It is the most common type. It is widely cultivated in China, Japan, Russia, the Caucasus (Armenia and Azerbaijan), in many countries of Europe and Asia.
Siberian Apricot
Siberian apricot (Latin Prunus sibirica) - fruit and ornamental crops; a representative of the genus Plum of the Pink family. It occurs naturally in Mongolia, North China, Primorsky Krai and Eastern Siberia. It grows mainly on dry areas, talus, sandy and rocky slopes, often in union with Siberian apple or rhododendrons.
Brown Spot Of Apricot Leaves
The brown spot of apricot leaves is scientifically called gnomoniosis. Mainly from this misfortune, leaves and their petioles suffer, less often - fruits. The first signs of gnomoniosis can be seen already in June - yellowish blurry spots appear on the leaves. In order to save the long-awaited crop of apricots, it is important to identify this disease in a timely manner and immediately proceed to decisive action aimed at combating it. Otherwise, prematurely crumbling fruits will serve as the main reason
