Effect of soil maintenance systems on phenological traits of black currant (Ribes nigrum) cultivars

This experiment was set up to evaluate the effect of soil maintenance systems on phenological traits (beginning of leaf unfolding, full leaf unfolding, inflorescence emergence, beginning of flowering, full flowering, beginning of berry set and berry ripening) in black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) cultivars. The research was conducted in the experimental orchard of the Fruit Research Institute, Čačak, West Serbia, during 2012-2014. Three soil maintenance systems were used: I - bare fallow i.e., continuous tillage; II - sawdust mulch, and III - black polyethylene foil mulch. Six black currant cultivars were involved, including ‘Ben Lomond’, ‘Ben Sarek’, ‘Titania’, ‘Čačanska Crna’, ‘Tisel’ and ‘Tiben’. The earliest beginning of the phenological stages was observed in cultivars under foil mulch treatment, and the latest in cultivars under bare fallow treatment. Under all treatments and in all years, the phenological stages were the earliest in ‘Čačanska Crna’ and ‘Tisel’. Leaf unfolding was the latest in ‘Titania’. The other growth stages were the latest in ‘Ben Lomond’.