Phenology and production of sweet cherry cultivars in a low chilling area of central Chile

This research started in 1996 with seedling Prunus cerasus (L.) rootstocks that were grafted in 1997 with 10 sweet cherry (P. avium L.) cultivars and trained as a Tatura trellis at the La Palma Experimental Station of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaíso in Quillota, 5^th region, Chile. Flowering, fruit development, vegetative and root growth, yield, fruit quality and fruit losses due to cracking and birds were studied from 2000 to 2004. Winter chilling ranged between 407 and 505 h below 7°C and 497 to 711 PCU (positive chilling units). Higher winter chilling accumulation increased production. Winter application of hydrogen cyanamide concentrated and synchronized bloom and harvest dates. Vegetative growth reached its peak after fruit set, while root growth occurred mostly after bloom and at initial leaf fall. 'Brooks', 'Somerset', 'Lapins', 'Van', 'Newstar', 'Celeste' and 'Rainier' were the most productive, while 'Bing', 'Burlat', 'Garnet', 'Marvin', 'Ruby', 'Sunburst', 'Starkrimson', 'Summit' and 'Sylvia' performed poorly. Fruit quality was satisfactory for export quality standards, and fruit losses due to cracking and birds were low in most cultivars.