S16 - Session O1 - Behaviour of hazelnut cultivars in the eco-pedoclimatic conditions of the Bucharest area

Authors: Florin Stanica *, Cosmin Mihai, Eugen Cristian Prodan, Ana Cornelia Butcaru

Hazelnut is an import species for nut production all over the world and recently, big orchard areas have been planted in Romania. In order to choose the best cultivars to be planted in the future a study regarding the behaviour of seven hazelnut cultivars in the eco-pedoclimatic conditions of the Bucharest area was done. Hall's Giant, Tonda Gentile delle Langhe, Romavel, Red Lambert, Tonda di Giffoni, Tonda Gentile Romana and Valcea 22 were planted in the Experimental Orchard of the Faculty of Horticulture within the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest. An integrated technology was applied with no pesticide and chemical fertilizers. Irrigation of the analysed cultivars was applied in the dry years with norms of 350-400 m 3 /ha. Researches were carried out between 2019-2020 and four plants/cultivar were studied determining the number of branches per tree, according to their age. Annually for each branch, length and total cross sections area were measured. The influence of cultivar on yield and fruit characteristics at the harvest moment is detailed. Romavel and Valcea 22 had the fruits with the highest weight, more than 3.3 g/fruit while Red Lambert and Tonda di Giffoni presented the lowest values. Hall's Giant was the most vigorous cultivar and Valcea 22 the less vigorous. Interesting growth dynamics for each cultivar and for all studied branches in the two experimental years are detailed. First and second-year branches had the highest TCSS growth rhythm, but that was not maintained for the third to fifth-year branches.