Correlation dependences between vegetative and reproductive characteristics of Meeker cultivar

Abstract

The objective of the experiment was to trace the correlation dependences between the vegetative and reproductive manifestations of ‘Meeker’ raspberry cultivar. The field experiment was set at a row spacing of 3.00 m and two variants of intra-row spacing – 0.50 m and 0.30 m. The scientific experiment was conducted in a collection plantation of the Research Institute of Mountain Stockbreeding and Agriculture in Troyan in the period of (2018-2020). The vegetative indicators and reproductive indicators, such as number of shoots, height and thickness of shoots per one linear meter of intra-row area were analyzed and also fruit weight (g), and yield per 1 linear m. In the first experimental year, the largest average number of shoots (23.00) was found from the shorter planting distance and the largest average plant height (216.59 cm) of the same variant. The average thickness of the shoots in “Meeker” cultivar was in the range from 5.98 mm (0.50 m) to 7.59 mm (0.50). The highest average yield of 1838.50 g/m was reported from the second variant of planting in 2020, while the highest average fruit weight of 3.07g was registered in the same variant, but in 2018.