Proizvodnja kajsije u Sloveniji - problemi i perspektive / Apricot production in Slovenia - problems and prospects

In Slovenia, apricot is one of the least representative fruit species. According to recent statistical data, we have only 37 ha of intensive orchards, which represent 1% of total fruit intensive orchards, and only 5% of stone fruit orchards. The greatest part of intensive orchards lays in the upper Vipava Valley and in Goriška Brda (Primorska region in Slovenia). We produce apricot mostly in an extensive way. In 2011, the yield from intensive and extensive orchards reached 687 t and it varies from year to year. Till 1993, in Slovenia we planted almost old local and autochthonous varieties such as Debeli flokarji and Catarji and broadly well known variety Ogrska, while nowadays we usually plant Aurora, Goldrich, San Castrese, Orange Red, Harcot, as well as Hargrand and Pisana as good pollination varieties. Apricot is a deficit fruit species in Slovenia. It is mightily search on market, but its production does not cover even our own needs. There is an interest for apricot production, but apricot as fruit species has many phytosanitary problems, which in many cases provoke tree mortality. For this reason, many fruit growers are not able to produce apricots in great quantities. In a way, they almost avoid to put large intensive apricot orchards. Nowadays cognitions for a great part of tree mortality are quarantine diseases as stone fruit leptonecrosis, which cause European stone fruit yellows phytoplasmas (ESFY) and sharka, which is caused by the Plum pox virus (PPV). Apoplexy and some dangerous bacteriosis like Pseudomonas syringae pv. morsprunorum and Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni are also problematical diseases. In 2011 we began the project in which we try to handle the most problematical quarantine diseases on stone fruits, including apricot species. The aim of the project is to establish sensitivity on quarantine diseases of already developed varieties in productive orchards and also in rather new apricot varieties in dependence on rootstocks and locations – the scope is to find good solutions in order to establish more intensive apricot orchards. There are many new varieties and rootstocks on the market, so we have tested many varieties and rootstocks in Fruit Growing Centre Bilje in the west, and in Fruit Growing Centre of Maribor in the east part of Slovenia. We have found out that the best varieties are Aurora and Harcot as they have been evaluated as varieties for very good general pomological characteristics, while the best varieties for a good yield are Cafona and Giada. The best fruit size, internal quality and productivity were recognized in Sabbatani and Goldrich. In all varieties, after 7 th leaf, we have noticed an average of 42-55% tree mortality. The first promising results of tested new varieties gave Pinkcot. Amongst the rootstocks tested in the past, good results were noticed with the rootstock Missour (peach seedling), with tree mortality rate only in 17% in front of Barrier, which died totally (100%).The preliminary testing gave us promising results of Orange Red on the rootstock Torinel, and Bergeron on rootstock Wavit. We think that the good solution would be planting great apricot intensive orchards so as to choose and plant tolerant or resistant apricot varieties on problematical quarantine diseases.