Investigation of the Performance of Some Sweet Cherry Varieties Grown in the GAP Region

Abstract

In cherry plant, which generally favors highland conditions and localities with cool summers, high relativehumidity and temperate climate, varieties show significant differences in terms of their ecologic needs. Inthis study, some phenological, morphological and pomological characteristic of Stella , 0900 Ziraat ,Stark Gold , Bigarreau Gaucher and Noble cherry varieties grafted on SL 64 (Prunus mahaleb L.) rootstock was investigated between 2008-2011 in Şanlıurfa conditions which partially shows a semi-aridclimate. The blooming periods of sweet cherry cultivars varied from 25 March to 05 April. The earliestfruit matured was Stella but Noble and Stark Gold were later. Trunk cross-sectional area was determinedbetween 162.99 (Stella) and 260.21 cm2 tree-1 (Bigarreau Gaucher) and cumulative yield impact value67.34 (Noble) - 237.74 (Stella) (g cm-2 ) in the sweet cherry cultivars. 0900 Ziraat had the largest fruit size(8.88 g), while Stark Gold (5.67 g) had the smallest. The seed weight, peduncle length, soluble solid andtitratable acidity of these sweet cherry cultivars ranged from 0.36 to 0.54 g, 38.41 to 51.96, 16.45 to 18.48% and 0.42 to 0.76%, respectively.