The performance of some apricot cultivars from the Mediterranean area in the climatic conditions of southeastern Romania

Three apricot cultivars of Mediterranean origin were studied to continue the apricot breeding program that was started in 1977, given new climate changes affecting the southeastern part of Romania. The paper highlights the adaptability of these cultivars in the studied area and the phenology of flowering and organoleptic characteristics to be included in the mentioned apricot breeding program. The study was done between 2018 and 2021 at the Research Station for Fruit Growing Constanța, located in a favorable area for apricot cultivation, which is characterized by a semi-arid climate, with annual average temperatures of 11.5°C, winters increasingly mild and frequent late frosts in March-April which affects the flowering of apricots in recent years. The studied cultivars were ‘Bergeron’, ‘San Castrese’ and ‘Portici’, well-known cultivars from Italy and France. They have late flowering, medium-sized fruit, and firm pulp. The local ‘Histria’ apricot was used as a control. Romanian apricot cultivars are recognized for their good taste but are highly perishable and susceptible to postharvest losses during transport. The ‘Portici’ apricot was highlighted by late flowering (26.03-02.04) and a constant yield of 12.5 t ha^‑1.