Abstract

Peach has a wide range of adaptation to tropical, subtropical and temperate climatic zones around the world, hence is spreading as a fruit species. This study was done in a semiarid climate in Sanliurfa. The phenological, pomological and yield characteristics of 11 peach cultivars (Maycrest, Springcrest, Earlyred, Cardinal, Redhaven, Glohaven, Dixired, Cresthaven, Maria Marta, Elegant Lady and Monroe), were determined. Early flowering in the peach cultivars started on 14th March and ended on 8th April. The first flowering and the last flowering  took place between 9 and 17 days. The  full bloom to  harvest of the cultivars took place between 74 (Maycrest) and 151 (Monroe) days. Based on the long-term observations, the earliest fruit maturation in peach varieties (Maycrest) occurred on the 2nd of June and the last fruit maturation occurred in Monroe on the 24th of August. The weights of the fruit varieties are as follows: Cardinal, 78.19; Dixired, 218.73; for TSS: Earlyred, 14.06; Maria Marta, 17.28%; for titratable acid content: Dixired, 0.47; Redhaven, 1.07 %; and for flesh firmness: Springcrest, 1.82; Dixired, 4.72 kg cm^-2. Between 2007 and 2011 years, cumulative yield values were found in Elegant Lady (166.87) and Earlyred (278.33 kg/tree).

Key words: Peach, Prunus persica, fruit yield, fruit quality, phenology, pomology, yield efficiency.