STUDY ON THE POSSIBILITIES OF USE OF BLACK THORN (PRUNUS SPINOSA L.) AS AN INTERSTOCK IN APRICOT GROWING IN DENSE GROVES

The examination grove was set in 1991 at planting distances of 5x2.5 m, 5x2 m, and 4.5x2 m or with 800 trees/ha, 1000 and 1111 trees/ha, respectively.

Measurements of the trunk diameter, height and circumference of the tree crown showed that the trees developed very uniformly during the first six years of their growth in all planting distances.

Concerning yield in the sixth year of growth, it was significantly different depending on the cultivar. The highest yield (19.5 – 21.7 kg/tree or 16.80 – 21.7 t/ha) was recorded in Roxana in all planting distances and the lowest, of only 1.1 – 1.5 kg/tree or 1.1 – 1.5 t/ha, in NJ-A1 and NJ-19.

Health condition and vitality of the trees during the first six years of their growth were satisfactory because survival of the trees was more than 90% of all planted trees in most cultivars. A low survival percentage (53.9%) was recorded only in Novosadska-2 planted at the distance of 5x2 m. No external deformations were found at the place of grafting as a result of incompatibility between the rootstock, interstock and apricot cultivars.

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