Temperate Fruits

INTRODUCTION

What are Temperate Fruit Plants?

• Temperate fruit plants are specific in the climatic requirement.
• They can tolerate both diurnal and seasonal wide fluctuation of temperature and are grown only in place where winter is distinctly cold.
• They require exposure of specific chilling temperature for certain period to break bud dormancy and initiate bud break.
• These fruit plants are generally deciduous and suitable of higher elevation as they can withstand frost.
• Examples are: apple, pear, plum, apricot, almond, peach, strawberry, walnut, pecan nut and cherry.

Horticultural classification of temperate fruits

• Classification is a system of placing an individual or a number in various groups, or to categorizes them according to a particular plan or sequence which is in conformity with the nomenclature

Classification helps:

(i) To identify and name them
(ii) +`to find some idea of the closeness of their relationship
(iii) to suggest with what other kind they possibly may or may not be interbred or crossed
(iv) to suggest the kind with which they possibly may or may not be intergrafted
(v) to suggest soil and cultural requirements and climatic adaptations.

• Fruit can be classified on several basis but their classification on the basis of climatic adaptability and morphological features seems to be more relevant from the horticulture point of view.