Apricots
Among all the drupes cultivated in Georgia, the apricot is distributed at the lowest rate.
Unimportant commercial plantations sometimes are found in Karthli (Gori, Caspi and suburban Tbilissi districts) and Kakhetia (Telavi, Gurdjani, Lagodekhi districts), elsewhere the apricot has no commercial importance at all, being met in singe trees scattered among other fruit crops.
The lack of the apricot culture development may be accounted for from the fact of its trees being highly requisitive to environment.
Regardless of the good hardiness of the apricot tree, standing winter temperatures as low -28°, and the sum of heart being to the districts of Georgia quite sufficlent for the development and maturation of its fruits, it has a characteristically short period of rest, easily disturbed by raisings of temperature. Warm day in early spring may cause premature vegetation, and first of all the development of flower buds. At the next attack of cold flower buds and blossoms perish. Excepting this, sterility of apricot trees is often brought about by excessive humidity (Western Georgia), as rain prevents pollination and favours the development of fungus diseases.
That is why though apricot trees grow well, their culture gaines no importance in Western Georgia.Eisewhere frequent losses of apricot crops are also due to late spring frosts.
The apricot tree is propagated by grafting on the Common Apricot and on the Cherry Plums. On the condition proves hatmless, but the sion and stock show poor concretion, breakings at the point of joint ensuing in the nursery and during the years after planting in the orchard.
In respect of the composition of apricots grown in Georgia, it lacks diversity. We find the following srts in commercial plantations: Shiraz, Agdjanabad and Red Cheek, sometimes the local sort Alipriala and the Armenian Shalakh.
Common Apricot is met in different forms, differing one from the other by the time of ripening as well by the size and colour of fruits.
The Apricot crops of the Gori district are delivered in block to the canning factory.
Recently the development of peach culture has been hindered by the diffusion of fungus diseases. From the economical point of few the most harmful proves to be Monilia laxa Ebren, as it injures flowers in spring, later causes the drying up of branches and sometimes in summer the destruction of the whole tree.
Clastertosporium carpophilium Adenb. Is also common attacking the apricot in its fruits as well as in its leaves.
Motties on the fruits caused by this fungus greatly impair their quality, though leave them acceptable for canning. Mottles on leaves bring forth their premature falling off, what influences the general condition and health of the whole tree.
Apricot culture furnishing early fruits is of importance for suburban zones as well as for those of canning factories.
Apricot sorts ripening directly after those of cherries busy the factories during July.
For the development of the apricot culture selection of late blooming sorts resistant to Monilia is necessary.
The working out of measures for the control of flower buds formation and for the protection from spring frosts will also stimulate the growing of this fruit tree.
source
საქართველოს კულტურული ფლორის ატლასი = Атлас культурной флоры Грузии = Atlas for the cultivated Flora of Georgia / ნ. ხომეზურიშვილი და ელ. ერისთავი ; საქართველოს სსრ მიწსახკომი. ლ.პ. ბერიას სახელ. სას.-სამ. ინსტიტუტი. - თბილისი : ტექნიკა და შრომა, 1939-1951. - 30 სმ[MFN: 51572] თემატიკა: - საქართველოს კულტურული ფლორის ატლასები; ტ. 2 : საქართველოს სამრეწველო ხილის ჯიშები = Промышленные сорта плодов Грузии = Varietes of commercial Georgian Fruits. - 1941. - 217, LIV გვ. : ილ., 71 ჩართ. ფურც. ფერ. ილ.. - დამატებითი თავფურცელი რუსულ, ინგლისურ ენებზე. - ტექსტი ქართულ, რუსულ, ინგლისურ ენებზე. - 73მ., ყდა 7მ., 2500ც.[MFN: 52879] UDC: 634.1/7:631.526.32 თემატიკა: - ხილის ჯიშები საქართველოში;
