Horticultural Science, 2020 (vol. 47), issue 2
Evaluation of certain pomological and phenological traits of selected asian pear varieties growing in Middle European conditionsOriginal Paper
Tomáš Nečas, Jan Wolf, Tomáš Kiss, Martina Göttingerová, Ivo Ondrášek, Monika Bieniasz
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2020, 47(2):81-92 | DOI: 10.17221/83/2019-HORTSCI 
The cultivation and breeding of new pear tree varieties have great potential, especially with the changing climate. The introduction of genetic resources and varieties from regions with a high genetic diversity can have a positive effect on the cultivation of pear trees in our region. In this experiment, a total of 23 Asian pear varieties originating from Japan and China were assessed. Based on the values obtained, the varieties were sorted, and suitable varieties for the conditions of the Czech Republic were selected. The early-maturing varieties that proved to be promising were 'Shinseiki' and 'Zao Su Li' due to their refreshing juiciness, plasticity...
Half-cooling time of cabbage stored in a refrigerated roomOriginal Paper
Radovan Tůma, Jan Goliáš
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2020, 47(2):93-99 | DOI: 10.17221/136/2018-HORTSCI
Cabbage heads stored in containers in a high-capacity cooling room were evaluated by the half-cooling times. The temperature of the heads and the surrounding air in their immediate vicinity was measured by a puncture thermometer. The shortest half-cooling times were measured in the immediate vicinity of the evaporator; in contrast, very long half-cooling times were measured in a container on the opposite side of the cooling room. The measured values were longer by one order of magnitude. When cabbage heads are inside the container furthest from the evaporator, without being covered by a layer of stacked containers, then the heat transfer passes directly...
Morphological variation of male A. arguta plants affects their flowering potential and pollen efficiencyOriginal Paper
Agnieszka Stasiak, Barbara Łata, Monika Bieniasz, Piotr Latocha
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2020, 47(2):100-109 | DOI: 10.17221/37/2019-HORTSCI
Actinidia arguta (Siebold et Zucc.) Planch. ex Miq. is functionally a cryptic dioecious plant and successful pollination is crucial for achieving high quality fruit. The extent and bases of morphological variability in female genotypes have been well studied, but here we focus on the males. Mature plants of seven male A. arguta genotypes were studied in 2016 and 2017 during which a suite of phenological and morphological features was measured on ten randomly chosen one-year-old canes on each plant. This analysis was complemented by two other, specialized measures potentially related to pollination efficiency, namely pollen quality, and quantity. The...
Selection and micropropagation of valuable caper genotypesOriginal Paper
Francesco Sottile, Nicole Roberta Giuggioli, Daniela Torello Marinoni, Cristiana Peano, Maria Beatrice Del Signore
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2020, 47(2):110-116 | DOI: 10.17221/40/2019-HORTSCI
The high quality of the various biotypes present in the natural or cultivated state is one of the main features for caper production. Up to now, however, no selection activity has been carried out in order to identify the most suitable accessions for providing better quality products. In this paper, we report the first results of a selection of caper genotypes characterised by significant qualitative traits. A micropropagation protocol was evaluated in order to improve and allow the multiplication of the most promising Capparis spinosa L. subsp. spinosa genotypes, selected in Salina (Aeolian Islands), Sicily (Italy), in collaboration with the most...
Determination of leaf characteristics in different medlar genotypes using the ImageJ programOriginal Paper
Sina Cosmulescu, Flavia Scrieciu, Manuela Manda
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2020, 47(2):117-121 | DOI: 10.17221/97/2019-HORTSCI
The size and shape of leaves can vary significantly between different genotypes within the same species and they implicitly influence plant growth and therefore productivity. The aim of this study was to compare the length, width, and surface area of leaf in nine medlar genotypes (Mespilus germanica L.) through image segmentation procedure using ImageJ software. The data indicate large variations for leaf surface area characteristics from one genotype to another, 2.12 fold for leaf surface area (22.95-48.8 cm2), 1.38 times for leaf length (8.8-12.18 cm) and 1.6 times for leaf width (3.5-5.60 cm). Leaf shape and leaf surface area vary between...
Influence of bioproducts and mycorrhizal fungi on the growth and yielding of sweet cherry treesOriginal Paper
Sławomir Głuszek, Edyta Derkowska, Lidia Sas-Paszt, Mirosław Sitarek, Beata Sumorok
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2020, 47(2):122-129 | DOI: 10.17221/102/2018-HORTSCI
The experiment assessed the influence of various biofertilizers and biostimulants on the growth characteristics of the root system, its colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the yielding of sweet cherry trees in field conditions. The experiment, conducted in Pomological Orchard of Research Institute of Horticulture located in Skierniewice during 2011-2014, involved the use of a mycorrhizal substrate, organic fertilizers and biostimulant in randomised block design. The control combination consisted of plants fertilized with mineral fertilizers (NPK). The use of the organic fertilizer BF Ekomix in dose 100 g per tree each year in the spring...
Ornamental perennials in small rural settlements: a case study from the Czech RepublicCase Study
Ivana Barošová, Markéta Šantrůčková, Pavel Matiska, Adam Baroš
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2020, 47(2):130-138 | DOI: 10.17221/21/2019-HORTSCI
The history of a site includes not only preserved historical buildings, but also areas with an assortment of plants, which have been preserved for many years. Rural settlements make up 80% of all the municipalities in the Czech Republic, with greenery covering 50-70% of their area. There are dominant trees and shrubs and an herb layer. The herb layer has high species diversity and species typical of the area, but at the same time, its long-term survival is in jeopardy. The continuity of rural settlements has been disturbed since the second half of the 20th century. Rural spaces often become uniform and impersonal, without links to the surrounding countryside,...