Pomological characteristics of the German sweet cherry cultivars in the collection of the Research Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice

Abstract

Pomological observations on twenty one sweet cherry cultivars bred in Germany kept in the collection ex situ of the Research Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice were conducted in 2015–2017. The cultivars were evaluated on the basis of the UPOV descriptor for sweet cherry. The German sweet cherry includes a group of old cultivars which are well-known and appreciated in our country: ‘Büttnera Czerwona’, ‘Hedelfińska’, ‘Gubińska Czarna’, ‘Kunzes Kirsche’ (‘Kunzego’), ‘Schneidera Późna’ (‘Kozerska’) and less known: ‘Drogana Żółta’, ‘Dönissena Żółta’, ‘Fromma Czarna’. The late ripening cultivar ‘Regina’ is the most interesting in the group of newer cultivars. The strongest growing trees are those of cultivars ‘Schneidera Późna’ and ‘Namosa’. Trees of the other cultivars grow strongly or moderately strongly. Early-maturing cultivars such as ‘Erika’, ‘Nabigos’, ‘Namare’ and late ripening: ‘Büttnera Czerwona’, ‘Bianca’, ‘Karina’ and ‘Oktavia’ are characterized by regular and good yields. The less productive cultivar is ‘Nadino’ followed by ‘Namosa’,  ‘Noremi’ and ‘Fromma Czarna’. ‘Regina’ produced the largest fruit, while ‘Dönissena Żółta’ produced the smallest ones which were the most susceptible to fruit skin cracking.