November 2024 - 18

PLUMS
Plum
factors
I
BY JAY FREER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
n North America, there are two groups of plum species
which enter into commerce. The most well-known are
the Japanese types - the ones most shoppers know
as fresh plums because they are in most chain stores for
many months of the year. These diploid plums are typically
dark-skinned, spherical, with firm flesh and cling pits.
They usually possess a good balance of acid and sugar,
with modest sugar levels rarely exceeding 15 brix.
The other plum species, Europeans, are hexaploid. They
have been domesticated more than 2,000 years, so their
average fruit quality usually surpasses the diploids. Some
of them can attain sugar levels of 25-30 brix. What I find
incongruous is that essentially none of them enter into our
fresh markets in any widespread fashion. The only European
plums sold widely are mostly the California dried ones.
There may be several reasons for this odd pattern.
Some of the European plums may be more perishable
and struggle on distribution durability. Another problem
may be the need to educate the public about their varietal
Successful varieties offer growers opportunities
Successful varieties offer
growers opportunities
names so the plums can enjoy repeat business. The
Europeans are often more unique in fruit character than
many of the diploids found in the chain stores. In my
experience, very few of the Japanese types are ever
presented in the chain stores under their varietal names.
The following are varietal descriptions of some of the
plums that typically grow well in Western New York,
presented in Geneva ripening time sequence.
Diploids
Early Golden is a medium-size plum with yellow skin, red
blush and good fruit quality. It ripens in mid- to late July.
Kuban Delight fruit is almost spherical, 1.6-inch high
by 1.75-inch in diameter. It possesses a darker maroon
skin, and flesh is medium yellow with a reddish tinge
by the skin, which is firm and tart. The variety ripens in
mid-July in Geneva. It is probably a cross of a salicina and
a cerasifera plum species. It was bred in Russia at the
Kuban Station on the east side of the Black Sea.
Obilinaya is a larger plum with purple-red skin and
good fruit quality ripening in late July.
The European Castleton plum variety was bred
and named by Cornell's ag experiment station.
Photos courtesy of Jacob Pucci, Cornell University.
18 | NOVEMBER 2024

November 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2024

Editor's Letter
Pome Fruit: Industry initiative
Irrigation & Water Management: Maintaining grove water
Tree Fruit: Grove insights
Plums: Plum factors
Great Lakes EXPO News: Juice processing and berry fertilization
Great Lakes EXPO Schedule
40 Under Forty Class of 2024
Soil Health: Cutting chemical fumigation
Labor: Tree fruit worker decision sparks reaction
Tree Fruit Variety Showcase
2025 Fruit & Nut Growers Buyers' Guide
Organic Grower Fall 2024
Fresh Views: A team approach to plant disease management
Farm Market & Agritourism: Choosing the right market channel
Ag Labor Review: Candid discussions regarding ag labor dilemmas
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
November 2024 - 1
November 2024 - 2
November 2024 - 3
November 2024 - Editor's Letter
November 2024 - 5
November 2024 - Pome Fruit: Industry initiative
November 2024 - 7
November 2024 - 8
November 2024 - 9
November 2024 - Irrigation & Water Management: Maintaining grove water
November 2024 - 11
November 2024 - 12
November 2024 - 13
November 2024 - Tree Fruit: Grove insights
November 2024 - 15
November 2024 - 16
November 2024 - 17
November 2024 - Plums: Plum factors
November 2024 - 19
November 2024 - 20
November 2024 - 21
November 2024 - Great Lakes EXPO News: Juice processing and berry fertilization
November 2024 - Great Lakes EXPO Schedule
November 2024 - 24
November 2024 - 40 Under Forty Class of 2024
November 2024 - 26
November 2024 - 27
November 2024 - 28
November 2024 - 29
November 2024 - 30
November 2024 - 31
November 2024 - 32
November 2024 - Soil Health: Cutting chemical fumigation
November 2024 - 34
November 2024 - 35
November 2024 - Labor: Tree fruit worker decision sparks reaction
November 2024 - 37
November 2024 - Tree Fruit Variety Showcase
November 2024 - 39
November 2024 - 40
November 2024 - 41
November 2024 - 42
November 2024 - 2025 Fruit & Nut Growers Buyers' Guide
November 2024 - 44
November 2024 - 45
November 2024 - 46
November 2024 - 47
November 2024 - 48
November 2024 - 49
November 2024 - 50
November 2024 - 51
November 2024 - 52
November 2024 - 53
November 2024 - 54
November 2024 - 55
November 2024 - 56
November 2024 - 57
November 2024 - 58
November 2024 - 59
November 2024 - 60
November 2024 - 61
November 2024 - 62
November 2024 - Organic Grower Fall 2024
November 2024 - 64
November 2024 - 65
November 2024 - 66
November 2024 - 67
November 2024 - Fresh Views: A team approach to plant disease management
November 2024 - 69
November 2024 - 70
November 2024 - 71
November 2024 - Farm Market & Agritourism: Choosing the right market channel
November 2024 - 73
November 2024 - Ag Labor Review: Candid discussions regarding ag labor dilemmas
November 2024 - 75
November 2024 - Classifieds
November 2024 - 77
November 2024 - Advertiser Index
November 2024 - 79
November 2024 - 80
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