FIRST RESULTS OBTAINED WITH PRUNUS BESSEYI BALLEY USED AS ROOTSTOCK FOR STONE FRUIT VARIETIES

Prunus besseyi, named "WESTERN SAND CHERRY", originates in the state of South Dakota, in the United States of America. Formerly very appreciated by the Sioux Indians, it has recently become the object of intensive breeding operations. The aim followed up was the improvement of fruit size and quality and reduction of stone size. The number of P. besseyi selections and hybrids with other Prunus species and various plum varieties, spread out in North America, is very high (13).

In its home land, P.besseyi is first noticed for its frost hardiness, its vigour and its reduced requirements in cultivation. The name of "Sand Cherry" comes from the fact that it is found in dry, sandy soils. It develops satisfactorily also on heavy more or less clayey soils, being thus fit for a great variety of soil types.

P. besseyi is a shrub tree of slow growth, that reaches in 4–6 years a 90–120 cm height. The lancoolate silvery-greyish-green leaves are 5–7 cm long, 1.5 cm wide and become in autumn beautifully coloured from red to purple. The inflorescences are small, about 6–10 mm in diameter, they are white and burst in May, together with the leaves; anthesis lasts, according to the weather conditions, 10–14 days. P. besseyi begins to bear fruit the second, latest the third year, always abundantly. When ripe the fruits are glossy, dark red, of about 1 ¼ cm in diameter and with a relatively big stone. The pulp has an scidulated-astringent taste and is eatable only when processed. If the fruits are not picked, they remain on the tree up to the fall of leaves, in autumn.

The spring inflorescence, special foliage, glorious