Stability of the efficiency of black currant cultivars in changing conditions of the environment

Industrial small fruit growing nowadays as a sphere of agrarian production is resource-intensive and material-intensive process. Effectiveness of the production depends on many internal and external factors, mutual influence of which is reflected in the indicators of profitability and net income. The leading role among fruit crops in industrial plantations belongs to black currant. The primary determinant of productivity and economic efficiency of commodity currant plantations are highly productive, high-tech cultivars.

Synthesis of new varieties of intensive type, combining stable productivity and valuable quality of berries with a high resistance to stress factors is the main goal of breeders. In Russia since the beginning of the XXI century 139 of new cultivars of black currant have been transferred in the state trial. The most productive breeding work was at Sverdlovsk SSS RSTIHN (19 varieties), in RRISFC (18), NIISS named after M.A. Lisavenko (14), VNIIS named after I.V. Michurin (11), RSTIHN, SUSRIHP, Krasnoyarsk research Institute for agriculture (9), Lupine Research Institute (7) and others (Codifier, 2012). Cultivars cosmopolitans, suitable for cultivation in most regions of the country are Of particular value to industrial production.

A comprehensive assessment of new and introduced varieties of black currant has been conducted on experimental plots of the Department of berry cultures GNU VNIIS named after I.V. Michurin RAAS. The objects of investigations were cultivars of black currant: Zelyonaya dymka (k), Malenkiy prints, Tamerlan, Chernavka, Shalunya (breeding of VNIIS named after I.V. Michurin), Ataman, Dobryi dzhinn, Mushketer, Pilot (Sverdlovsk SSS), Gratsiya, Iskushenie, Kipiana (RRISFC), Biya, Yadrenaya (NIISS named after M.A. Lisavenko), Binar, Bolero, Olesha (VNIIR named after N.I. Vavilov). Programs and methods of cultivar investigation of fruit, berry and nut crops served as methodological basis of the conducted research (Michurinsk, 1973; Orel, 1999). Hydrothermal factor (HTF) and the coefficient for the winter have been determined the methods suggested by G.T. Selyaninov (1937). Assessment of the climatic conditions has been conducted basing on the data generated at Michurinsk agricultural and meteorological observing station.

Research results

Natural conditions of Central Black Earth economic region are mainly suitable for the growth and development of black currant. However, beginning with the 2008, insufficient moisturizing occurred in the Tambov region (Table 1).

The year 2010 was particularly unfavorable, when abnormally hot weather (HTF=0,34)with insufficient coverage precipitation came after the frosty winter. It should be noted that the most hot and arid were June, July, August and September, HTF in these months amounted to 0.21; 0,21; 0,44 0,12 (Figure 1).

Table 1. Characteristics of weather conditions for the 2008-2012 years of research

Figure 1. The mean monthly air temperature and precipitation for the year 2010

Sourced by Michurinsk weather station

One of the main indicators of the suitability of a cultivar for specific soil-climatic conditions is the overall condition of the plants after the winter. Surveys conducted in the spring, before flowering, after the races-making leaves. Despite the unstable conditions in winter condition of the plants of black currant, as local cultivars selection and introduced from other regions, were mostly excellent (table. 2).

Taking into consideration the dependence of the condition of the plants of black currant on their winter hardiness and drought, the assessment of the influence of the extreme conditions of 2010 to further vital activity of collection samples has been conducted. It is established that a significant deterioration in plants was observed in 2011in cultivars Chernyavka, Ataman and Yadrenaya, with the first two, it was satisfactory and in spring of the current year.

Table 2. Characterization of cultivars of black currant as after the winter, the degree of flowering and fruiting, 2008-2012

Flowering is one of the most important phenological phases in the life of a plant, determining its future productivity. Despite the difference in reactions of local and introduced varieties of black currant to the external influence of stress factors bloom was good and excellent, except Vigorous varieties.

Assessment of the degree of fruiting for 2008-2010 has shown that the genotypes bred by N.I. Vavilov Sverdlovsk CCC, VNIIR had the lowest degree, Vigorous cultivars (NIISS named after M.A. Lisavenko) and Temptation (RRISFC). In conditions of 2011, a medium degree of fruiting characterized cultivars such as Ataman, Biya, Yadrenaya and Bolero, and in the current year the only Yadrenaya cultivar.

When conducting weight accounting of the harvest it was found that the most productive in Tambov region were te cultivars of black currant bred by VNIIS named after I.V. Michurin (Zelyonaya dymka, Malenkiy prints, Shalunya, Chernyavka, Tamerlan) and RRISFC (Gratsiya, Kipiana). Harvest of berries of these cultivars per bush in 2009 ranged from 1.3 (Gratsyia) to 3, 0 kg (Zelyonaya dymka, Tamerlan). The introduced cultivars from other regions yield varied from 0.3 (Bolero) to 1.0 kg of berries per bush (Yadrenaya) (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Dynamics of change of yield of black currant under the influence of extreme conditions, 2010

Sourced by Zhidehina, Rodyukova, Guryeva

Extreme weather conditions of 2010 led to a considerable decrease in productivity in varieties of Iskushenie, Pilot (85,7%), Yadrenaya (80), Ataman (60), Tamerlan (56,7), Mushketer, Bolero (50). Less than 15% of the yield decrease was seen in the grades Biya, Dobryi dzhinn and Kipiana. It was determined that the decline in yields was due to a reduction in the average weight of berries 7 (Chernavka) to 61.3% (Temptation) and a significant shedding by high temperatures (r = - 0.53).

Given the two-year cycle of the crop and its load in previous years, there was a slight decline in yields in 2011 in highly productive cultivars of Zelyonaya dymka, Malen’kij princ, Chernavka and Kipiana and a small increase in varieties of Shalun’ya, Tamerlan and Olesha. The introduced cultivars, giving ≤1 kg of berries per bush, showed an increase in yield in 2011, except Yadrenaya cultivar. A weak negative correlation between the harvest of berries per bush in 2011 and the shedding of leaves in studied cultivars of currant in August, 2010 was revealed (r = - 0,11).

Thus, as a result of the comprehensive assessment of black currant cultivars it was found that the most stable in the cultivation in the conditions of the Tambov region are Zelyonaya dymka, Malenkiy prints, Shalunya (VNIIS named after I.V. Michurin), Dobryi dzhinn (Sverdlovsk CCC), Gratsiya (PBR-ITD) and Olesha (VNIIR named after N.I. Vavilov).