УНИВЕРЗИТЕТ У БАЊОЈ ЛУЦИ,
ИНСТИТУТ ЗА ГЕНЕТИЧКЕ РЕСУРСЕ

UNIVERSITY OF BANJA LUKA,
GENETIC RESOURCES INSTITUTE

Genotype Characteristics of Biochemical – Physiological Parameters of Pear Fruits Depending on Position of Fruit on Tree

 Coordinator: Prof Dr Gordana Djurić

Supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Srpska as part of the support programme for the projects with young researchers
 
Implementation Time: 2010-2012
 
The research goal is to determine the mutual relation of the position, that is, the exposition of the fruit on the tree and biochemical-physiological fruit characteristics of the examined pear cultivars on the basis of the overall analysis of the observed fruit characteristics and interactional relationships of the examined parameters.
 
The study of genotype characteristics of biochemical-physiological parameters of pear fruits depending on the position of fruit on the tree will take place in 2010 and 2011 in the pear orchard Jurkovic. There will be analyzed the fruits of five varieties: Santa Maria, Williams Pears, Abaté Fétel, Packham’s Triumph and Lemon Bergamot. Ripe fruits with different positions and expositions in the tree will be taken for the analysis. Related to the position and exposition, the fruits from the three crown zones will be analyzed; from the base, from the middle and top of the canopy, as well as the east-exposed fruits and west-exposed fruits. The monitoring of biochemical – physioloical fruit characteristics will be carried out through the analyses in fruit weight, fruit flesh hardness and soluble solids content in the cell sap of fruit flesh.
 
The practical significance of the research reflects the possibility of the projection of the dynamics of harvesting pear cultivars fruits, that is, the selective harvesting of fruits from different areas of the crown, depending on their further use (processing of fruits in cold storage, disclosure to the market immediately after harvest, etc.). The defying  of genotype characteristics in the interaction relationships between biochemical-physiological properties of fruit and fruit position on the tree can ultimately lead to the development of specialized treatment of pomological - technical  operations which are characteristic for the variety and focused on designing the desired state of the fruit for its further purpose.
 
One of the key contributions of the project is a scientific training of young researchers with expert knowledge and ability to appropriatelly approach the research planning and implementation, and also to properly interpret and implement the estasblished regularities which emerge from the research results in the conditions of production.