Peaches

The effect of red photoselective net on yield per tree (g), yield efficiency (g·cm-2) leaf surface (cm2), fruit diameter (mm), fruit mass (g), fruit firmness (kg·cm-2) and soluble solids concentration (SSC) (%Brix) on young peach (‘Sugar Time’) and nectarine (‘Big Bang’) trees was studied. No significant differences were recorded for yield, yield efficiency and SSC on peach as well for all fruit quality parameters on nectarine.
Both peach and nectarine trees grown under red net had significantly higher leaf surface (37.82 and 40.72 cm2, respectively) than in control (23.85 and 26.14 cm2, respectively). Peach fruits grown under red net had significantly higher fruit diameter (70.97 mm), fruit mass (163.73 g) and lower fruit firmness (2.12 kg·cm-2) than in control (65.24 mm, 135.84 g, and 3.04 kg·cm-2, respectively). It was concluded that red
photoselective net has a positive effect on vegetative growth of peach and nectarine, and on majority of fruit quality parameters of peach, while on nectarine fruit quality there are no evident differences. Further research must be continued to verify these preliminary findings.

Florida peaches (Prunus persica) typically are picked and placed in a cold room on the day of harvest, then packed and shipped the next day. This room cooling (RC) is slow, requiring %24 hours or more for the fruit to reach optimal temperature (6 to 7°C). There is currently limited research on the effect of cooling practices on microbial quality of peaches, yet this study is essential for decision making in areas such as upgrading packing house facilities and the implementation of improved handling procedures. This research compared the efficacies of post-harvest cooling by RC, forced-air cooling (FAC), and hydrocooling with sanitizer (HS) treatment of peaches to reduce their surface microbial population and to determine the effect on shelf life and microbial quality. Three trials for RC and two trials each for FAC and HS were performed. Following cooling, fruit were stored at 1°C. The average aerobic plate count (APC) from field samples was 5.29 log cfu/ peach, which remained unchanged after RC or FAC but was reduced significantly (P < 0.05) to 4.63 log cfu/peach after HS. The average yeast and mold counts (Y&M) from field samples (6.21 log cfu/peach) were reduced highly significantly (P < 0.001) to 4.05 log cfu/peach after HS. Hydrocooling significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the APC and Y&M counts from the peaches and showed promise in maintaining the microbiological quality of the fruit throughout storage. However, at the end of the 21-day storage period, there was no significant difference in APC or Y&M counts from peaches, irrespective of the cooling methods. Peaches that went through the hydrocooling process and were subsequently packed showed an increase (P < 0.05) in both APC and Y&M counts, while fruit that were not hydro-cooled showed no such increase. Information obtained will be used to recommend the best temperature management practices for maintaining the postharvest quality of peaches. A detailed cost-benefit analysis of different cooling methods and the time interval between harvest and shipment are both necessary for a more conclusive recommendation.

Da bi vsaj v obrisih ugotovili, katere sadne sorte so na Goriškem obstajale in kje se nahajajo drevesa z uporabnimi cepiči različnih starih sort, smo v letih 2012 in 2013 izvedli pilotno terensko raziskavo, ki naj bi dala približno sliko stanja in bila tudi podlaga za bolj sistematične in obširnejše nadaljnje raziskave. Prvi del terenske raziskave je potekal individualno, in sicer najprej s preučevanjem tuje in slovenske (predvsem starejše) literature, potem pa z obiskovanjem posameznih vasi, iskanjem informatorjev in opazovanjem starih sadovnjakov. Predvsem nekateri starejši sadjarji so bili dragocen vir podatkov, ki so omogočali širjenje kroga informatorjev, preverjanje že dobljenih informacij o starih sadnih sortah, njihovih značilnostih in možnostih uporabe, predvsem pa tudi nabiranje cepičev za vzgojo dreves v matičnem sadovnjaku. Pri drugem delu terenske raziskave so sodelovali predvsem dijaki Biotehnične šole iz Šempetra pri Novi Gorici, Škofijske gimnazije iz Vipave in Srednje ekonomske in trgovske šole iz Nove Gorice, njim pa se je pridružilo še nekaj posameznikov. Naloga popisovalcev je bila, da v posamezni vasi poiščejo starejšega informatorja, poznavalca starih sort, skupaj z njim izpolnijo vprašalnik in ga v določenem roku oddajo svojemu učitelju. Informacije o starih sadnih sortah so bile zbrane v naslednjih petdesetih naseljih (največ iz Goriških Brd in Vipavske doline) Sledila je analiza, ki je prinesla zanimivo sliko ohranjenosti in nekdanje razprostranjenosti starih sort na Goriškem. Najprej se je pokazalo, da ima lahko ista sadna sorta več različnih imen (npr. pastorjevka ali rončarca ali zimka), isto ime pa ne pomeni nujno tudi iste sorte. V Brdih so npr. uspevale štrnivke, rdeče-rumene drobnejše jesenske hruške, ki so jih sušili na soncu in izvažali celo na Dunaj, vendar so se z leti izgubile. Štrnivka je bila po popisu najdena tudi v Čadrgu, in sicer gre za staro drevo, ki pa ima drobne zeleno-rumene poletne hruške, podobne tepkam. Šele dodatna terenska raziskava, pri kateri bi si v vseh obdelanih naseljih ogledali posamezna drevesa in preučili njihove sadeže, bi omogočila zanesljivo določiti različna poimenovanja za isto sadno sorto. Največ starih sort smo našli pri hruškah (okoli devetdeset), jablanah (okoli petdeset), češnjah (okoli petintrideset), figah (okoli trideset) in breskvah (okoli petindvajset). Našli smo še okoli petnajst sort sliv in le osem sort marelic. Te razlike v številu sort so razumljive, in sicer zato, ker so sveže in posušene hruške nekoč gotovo predstavljale najpomembnješe prehransko dopolnilo, ker so sorte hrušk po času zrelosti razporejene od zgodnjih poletnih do poznih jesenskih in ker hruškova drevesa lahko dosežejo zelo visoko starost. Podobno je pričakovano veliko število sort jablan, čeprav se ta po življenjski dobi dreves ne morejo meriti s hruškami. Po drugi strani so češnje po času dozorevanja omejene na dober mesec, drevesa marelic in breskev pa propadejo že po nekaj desetletjih.

Prezentacija prinaša zgodbe o Luciju Columelli, Ivanu Bolletu, potopisu Jožefa Levičnika, sadovnjaku v Morskem pri Kanalu, petoralih in pituralkah, sušenju sadja na premog, oljkarstvu od pozebe do obnove, destileriji Capovilla, knjigah Stare sadne sorte na Goriškem in Sadje sonca ter sadovnjaku Pod skalco.

Since 2007, an orchard of old fruit varieties has been developed at the village of Kojsko in the Goriška Brda region, designed by Gregor Božič, a young film director. It is conceived as a genetic bank, which enables preservation and dissemination of indigenous fruit varieties. It currently comprises about a hundred and fifty standard-size trees of various ages (from seventy to three years) and over a hundred varieties of cherries, apricots, figs, peaches, plums, pears and apples. Deliberately selected old varieties that are fairly resistant to diseases and have commercially interesting characteristics have been planted. The orchard, where all the trees have identifying labels, has been developed with the encouragement of two international projects: with the financial support of the Swiss contribution to the enlarged European Union and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The results of the project are two publications: the brochure Stare sadne sorte na Goriškem (Old fruit varieties in the Goriško region, in two parts) and the illustrated book Sadje sonca: bogastvo starih briških sadnih sort (The Fruits of the Sun: the Wealth of Old Fruit Varieties in Goriška Brda).