WITHSTANDING OF MOSCOW APRICOTS UNDER EXTREMELY LOW (WINTER 2006) AND EXTREMELY HIGH (WINTER 2006-07) TEMPERATURES

According to the results of two winters with extreme temperatures, it has been once again confirmed that the frost hardiness of vegetative parts of the Moscow apricot trees is high, which cannot be said about their winter hardiness. Owing to the cold summer, the apricots accumulate an insignificant reserve of nutrients. During winter thaws, the plants spend their reserve of nutrients for breath, biochemical and growth processes. A subsequent drastic decrease in the temperature leads to damages to flower buds, first of all, and also to the most vulnerable tissues and to general weakening of trees. The early-ripening cultivars are subject to such damages to the greatest degree, the late-ripening cultivars being more winter-hardy.