Authors names: Lucian Cioacă University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest Faculty of Horticulture International Student Symposium “Hortus Academicus” March 29, 2019, Bucharest, Romania The characterization of some local almond (Amygdalus communis) selections from Dobrogea Authors names: Lucian Cioacă Coordinator Professor: Florin Stanică International Student Symposium "Hortus Academicus“ March 29, 2019 - Bucharest, Romania

Introduction The almond (Amygdalus communis L.) is a decidous tree, growing 6–12 m in height. It forms a wide root system with a strong taproot that is reaching deep levels in the soil. The tree top form for the spontaneous almond trees is pyramidal or overthrown cone. The twigs are grey. The leaves are 8–13 cm long, with a serrated margin and a 2.5 cm petiole. The flowers are white to pale pink, 3–5 cm diameter with five petals, produced singly or in pairs and appearing before the leaves in early spring. Almond grows best in climates with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The optimal temperature for their growth is between 15 and 30 °C. The almond is a protandrous species. (Cociu, 2007) Almonds were collected in the south-west Asia, in the region historically described as the Fertile Crescent in the wild 1o,ooo years ago, and they were among the first plants to be domesticated anywhere on earth, around the third millennium BC. The earliest archaeological evidence suggests that this occurred in Jordan. (Albala, 2009) International Student Symposium "Hortus Academicus“ March 29, 2019 - Bucharest, Romania

Almonds are a rich source of fiber, highly digestible protein, unsaturated fat, and vitamin E (USDA, 2007). Almond kernels are an important source of calcium, magnesium and manganese. Copper, iron, potassium, phosphorus and zinc are also accumulated in significant amounts in almond kernels during fruit growth and ripening. (Preedy, 2011) In Romania it is believed that the almond has been brought by the first Greek colonists in the Dobrogea region of today. Also in the spontaneous flora of the Dobrogea region there is a correspondent from the same taxonomical genre, the dwarf Russian almond (Amygdalus nana L.) (Neţoiu, 2008)

The Aim of the study The aim of our study is to observe and select the valuable Almond genotypes in order to homologate and introduce in production new varieties

Materials and Methods 1st place of study is in the commune Greci, Tulcea County. In Greci we took in study almond genotypes naturally formed that are grown in peoples gardens or in the proximity of the commune. We observed 163 naturally formed almond genotypes. From the 163 almonds observed, two of them presented high interest for us. International Student Symposium "Hortus Academicus“ March 29, 2019 - Bucharest, Romania

Materials and Methods 2nd place of study is in the proximity of the commune Crucea, at Crucea farm Constanta County. In Crucea farm, near the Crucea commune, they cultivate Almond fruit trees on 55.63 ha, ecologically certified. The almond orchard is on top of two hills that are surrounded by the this crop. Here we study the natural formed hybrids from the almond fruit trees that are growing in the proximity. We observed 140 naturally formed hybrids. From the 140 alomonds took into study, 11 of them presented high interest for us. International Student Symposium "Hortus Academicus“ March 29, 2019 - Bucharest, Romania

We took in study almond trees that blossom, because we are interested in the ones that bloom late; we observed and measured the following: phenological growth stage of the Inflorescence emergence phenological growth stage of the Flowering the presence of different diseases altitude exposition the tree’s height the trunk height the crown height the diameter at 50cm above the ground the surface of the cross section the diameter of the crown the volume of the crown tipe of the crown type of the angles of the branch if the tendency is baritony or acritony

Inflorescence emergence Phenological growth stages and BBCH-identification keys of stone fruits are: Inflorescence emergence 53 - Bud burst: scales separated, light green bud sections visible 54 - Inflorescence enclosed by light green scales, if such scales are formed (not all cultivars) 55 - Single flower buds visible (still closed) borne on short stalks, green scales slightly open 56 - Flower pedicel elongating; sepals closed; single flowers separating 57 - Sepals open: petal tips visible; single flowers with white or pink petals (still closed) 59 - Most flowers with petals forming a hollow ball Flowering 60 First flowers open 61 Beginning of flowering: about 10% of flowers open 62 About 20% of flowers open 63 About 30% of flowers open 64 About 40% of flowers open 65 Full flowering: at least 50% of flowers open, first petals falling 67 Flowers fading: majority of petals fallen 69 End of flowering: all petals fallen (Meier, 2001)

Polystigma fulvum Pers. ex DC. Taphrina deformans (Berk.) Tul Stigmina carpophila (Lév.) M.B. Ellis Monilinia laxa (Aderh. & Ruhland)

Results and discussions 1st place of study: Greci, Tulcea Phenological data from the almond trees from Greci, TL  Year Nr 53 54 55 56 57 59 60 61 63 65 69 2018 4 08-Mar 15-Mar 31-Mar 07-Apr 14-Apr 33 2019 24-Feb 2-Mar | 09-Mar 20-Mar 02-Mar International Student Symposium "Hortus Academicus“ March 29, 2019 - Bucharest, Romania

Results and discussions 1st place of study: Greci, Tulcea Morphological data for the fruit trees observed in Greci, TL Nr Age H tree (m) H trunk (m) H crown (m) D at h50 (cm) CSS (cm2) D canopy (m) Crown Volume (m3) Crown type Angle of branches B/A 4 2.15 0.83 1.32 2 3.14 0.95 0.93 glob Big Acrotony 33 6 3.22 0.85 2.37 5 19.62 1.8 6.02 big Average 2.685 0.84 1.845 3.5 11.38 1.375 3.475   International Student Symposium "Hortus Academicus“ March 29, 2019 - Bucharest, Romania

Results and discussions 1st place of study: Greci, TL Data about the diseases presence Nr Monilinia Stigmina Taphrina Polystigma 4 da nu  - 33 International Student Symposium "Hortus Academicus“ March 29, 2019 - Bucharest, Romania

Phenological data from the almond trees from Greci, TL 2nd place of study: Crucea, Constanța Phenological data from the almond trees from Greci, TL  Year Nr 53 54 55 56 57 59 61 64 65 67 69 2018 3 27-Mar 03-Apr 13-Apr 20-Apr 8 18 24 40 46 66 68 129 2019 23-Feb 01-Mar 8-Mar | 16 mar 21-Mar 08-Mar 16-Mar 1-Mar | 8-Mar nu are, s-a uscat tulpina 8-Mar | 16-Mar 23-Feb |1-Mar

Morphological data for the fruit trees observed in Crucea, CT 2nd place of study: Crucea, Constanța Morphological data for the fruit trees observed in Crucea, CT Nr Age H tree (m) H trunk (m) H crown (m) D at h50 (cm) CSS (cm2) D canopy (m) Crown Volume (m3) Crown type Angle of branches B/A 3 12 3.7 0.65 3.05 17 226.86 4.15 12.57 glob big acrotonie 8 7 2 0.1 2.9 4 12.56 1.3 3.84 18 6 1.32 0.2 1.12 3.14 0.8 0.56 24 9 1.9 0.25 1.65 5 19.62 2.18 40 2.75 0.6 2.15 28.26 2.25 8.54 46 2.5 9.32 56 0.3 2.2 7.06 4.7 57 2.35 0.15 0.9 1.39 66 2.85 0.4 2.45 2.1 8.48 68 0.45 9.3 129 1.7 1.6 0.53 Average 7.64 2.41 0.35 5.45 35.68 1.8 5.58  

2nd place of study: Crucea, Constanța

2nd place of study: Crucea, Constanța

Data about the diseases presence 2nd place of study: Crucea, Constanța Data about the diseases presence  Nr Monilinia Stigmina Taphrina Polystigma 3 Yes No 8 18 ? 24 40 46 56 57 66 da nu 68 129

Greci, TL. S-V exposure, between 38 – 63 MASL, measured with Altimeter application Crucea, CT. E exposure, between 131 – 177 MASL, measured with Altimeter application

Conclusions and recommendations We took in study more almond genotypes in Crucea than in Greci because, being the offspring of parents that most probably are breeds, we found more interesting characteristics. In Greci the flowering begun 11 days earlier in 2019 than in 2018. in Crucea the flowering begun 23 days earlier in 2019 than in 2018. In 2018 the phenological stages were around 20 days ahead in Greci than in Crucea. In 2019 the phenological stages were 7-10 days ahead in Greci than in Crucea. We believe that this difference is caused by the factors: In Crucea the genotypes we took in study are the offspring of breeds known for the late flowering We suppose the temperature is lower in Crucea than in Greci; the altitude of the almonds took in study in Greci is lower with 100 MASL, than in Crucea, also Greci is protected by the Macinului Mountains on the north side; the genotypes we took in study in Crucea are on the top of too hills. International Student Symposium "Hortus Academicus“ March 29, 2019 - Bucharest, Romania

Bibliography Albala K., 2009, Almonds Along the Silk Road: The Exchange and Adaptation of Ideas from West to East. Petits Propos Culinaires, 88, 19–34. Meier U., 2001, Growth stages of mono- and dicotyledonous plants. Cociu V., 2007, Nucul, alunul, migdalul, M.A.S.T., Bucuresti Socias R. et all, 2017, Almonds Botany, Production and Uses, CABI Preedy V.R. et all, 2011, Nuts & seeds in health and disease prevention, Academic Press Neţoiu C et all, 2008, Dendrologie, Eurobit, Timisoara http://www.fermacrucea.ro/

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