Prunus domestica L. Worldwide, this is one of the main species grown. Fruit are generally oval, smaller, and more variable in color than Japanese plums.

Prunus domestica L. Worldwide, this is one of the main species grown.
Fruit are generally oval, smaller, and more variable in color than
Japanese plums.

1. Plum

2. Scientific classification Kingdom : Plantae Order : Rosales Family: Rosaceae Subfamily: Maloideae or Spiraeoideae Genus : Prunus Subgenus : Prunus Species: domestica B.N.: Prunus domestica

3. Plum species: 1. European plums – ( Hexaploid ) Prunus domestica L . Worldwide, this is one of the main species grown. Fruit are generally oval, smaller, and more variable in color than Japanese plums. In the USA, P. domestica is used for prunes or fruit cocktail or other products, and rarely eaten fresh. 2. Japanese plums – (Diploid) P. salicina Lindl. and hybrids. These are the most common fresh eating plums in the USA. They are larger, rounder (or heart shaped), and firmer than European plums and are primarily grown for fresh market.

4. Varieties Early: Rubio. Mid - season: Hale,Gaviota and Abundance (June–July). Late: Shiro , Kelsey and Satsuma. Hale has to be planted along with other varieties to enhance pollination and fruit set (July–August).

5. Flowers : Flowers are similar in morphology to peach, but white, smaller, and have longer pedicels. Flowers are borne mostly in umbel-like clusters of 2-3 individuals on short spurs, and solitary or 2-3 in axils of 1-yr-old wood. European plums bloom much later than Japanese types, and are therefore less frost prone. flower structure of European plum flower structure of Japanese plum

6. Ideal Characteristic of Plum : A plum is a stone fruit tree in the genus Prunus , subgenus Prunus . The flowers in groups of one to five together on short stems , and the fruit having a groove running down one side and a smooth stone (or pit ). Mature plum fruit may have a dusty-white coating that gives them a glaucous appearance; this is easily rubbed off. Dried plum fruits are called dried plums or prunes . Grafted plum trees are capable of bearing large crops from 1 year after planting. They make delightful ornamental trees due to their mass display of white blossoms during August. Both self-pollinating and cross-pollinating varieties are available .

7. Pollination of plum : Many plum varietes are self-fertile or partially self-fertile and do not need a pollination partner. For plum varieties that are not self-fertile, another plum tree of a different variety flowering at the same time is usually all that is necessary to ensure good pollination and heavy crops - there are few of the pollination incompatibilities found with apples, pears and cherries.

8. Climate : More and wide adaptability of many species and cultivars adapted to different ecology Cold winters Hot summer suitable High rainfall The chilling requirement can be compensated by environment and cultural practices. Environment Warm winter - Bending branches with holding irrigation Light winter - reduce apical dominance

9. Climate : Japanese plum – sensitive to frost (spring flowering) if no spring frost – good. Rainfall : As rainfed crop, 100-125 cm rainfall, well distributed throughout the year. High wind velocity – not suitable Hail prone areas – not suitable.

10. Propagation Seeds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdaPu5W0d9c Cuttings – hard, semi-hard wood and soft wood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x0P06MBLk0 IBA treatment, rooting in 4-6 weeks. Rootstock Myrobalan 29, Myrobalan – 2261, GF 1246. Peach - Suits to light soil, resistance to nematodes Almonds - Suits to deep soil, but graft incompatibility Apricot - high immunity to nematodes Rootstocks seeds - dormancy problem is seen, so stratification is necessary @3-5°C.

11. Planting : Rootstock vigour and soil fertility decides spacing. Square system – suits to all situations. Hexagonal system – fertile and expensive lands.

12. Training systems : Branching at 1 m height is practiced Training system depends on growth habit Spreading type – open centre Upright type – Central modified leader Open centre – more common in Europe Modified leader – more common in India

13. Pruning Intensity differs with varieties Japanese plum – over bearing – heavy pruning European plum – light pruning to renew old spurs. Fruit thinning : Increase fruit size Increase colour and quality. Reduce breaking of limbs.

14. Harvest Total economic life span 25-35 years. Yield: 25 – 30 kg/tree/year Maturity indices : 1. Colour development 2. Flesh firmness 3. Days after full bloom 4. TSS – 12.5°B for European plum 5. TSS/acid ratio – 12 to 15

15. Post-harvest management For distance market  harvest in the early morning or in Afternoon and leave it for over might cooling. CA storage O 2 – 2-3% 2-3 months CO 2 – 2.8%

16. Plant protection Pests Fruit Fly  Spray Malathion 50 EC at the rate of 2 ml/lit of Fenthion 100 EC at the rate of 1 ml/lit. Set up Methyl Eugenol 1 % trap with Malathion 50 EC 1 ml/lit between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Use polythene bags fish meal trap with 5 gm of wet fish meal + 1 ml of Dichlorvos in cotton. 50 traps are required/ha, fish meal + Dichlorvos soaked cotton are to be renewed once in 20 and 7 days respectively.