Hungarian Almond Trees
Hungarian almond cultivars flower and mature early in the year compared to the cultivars Nonpareil and Ferragnes. Certain Hungarian cultivars demonstrate a resistance to spring frosts. Cold weather and early frosts normally prohibit wide-scale almond production in much of Hungary. Researchers seek cold-tolerance, drought-resistance, fruitfulness and high quality in almond crops. Newly established Hungarian farmers are exploring organic methods for growing almonds and other crops in this fruitful country. (Ref 1; 2) Does this Spark an idea?
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Hungarian Cultivar Studies
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Researchers at the Horticulture Institute of Kecskernet, Hungary studied nine Hungarian almond cultivars, testing Tetenyi kedvenc, T. record, T. kemenheju, T. botermo; Budatetenyi 1, B. 70; Szigetcsepi 55, S. 92; and H-2/7 against controls Nonpareil and Ferragnes. The researchers planted two experimental orchards in the autumn of 1986. Trees began fruiting in the fourth year. The researchers studied the trees' performance to determine compatibility with local conditions, adding more than 100 cultivars to the studies over the following 20 years. (Ref 1)
Frost-Tolerance
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Early-blooming trees are at higher risk of spring frost damage, but the earlier-forming fruits have access to more moisture in the soil. Blooming periods vary year to year by as much as 30 days. The first spring frost of 1992 affected all the trees except the latest-blooming Ferragnes. All trees were blooming by the second frost. T. record and S. 92 demonstrated high resistance to early frosts. The controls suffered no frost damage. Unsettled spring weather affects fertilization and the formation of fruits. T. kemenheju, T. kedvenc and T. record showed frost-resistance during the cold January of 1993. (Ref 1)
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Fruitfulness and Quality
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Early maturity is an advantage in Hungary. Drought is undesirable for growth. Dry weather is an advantage for the harvesting, hulling and drying process. All the cultivars except S. 55 matured between August 18 and September 5, 1990. The following cold, rainy year saw maturity 2 to 3 weeks later. S. 55 did not produce that year. The cultivar T. record produced the most almonds in 1990/1991, yielding 12.5 pounds per tree. T. kedvenc followed with nearly 11 pounds per tree. Both these trees have medium to large fruits with good flavor. (Ref 1)
Hungarian Almond Farming
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The availability of agricultural land in Hungary substantially exceeds the European average. The National Agri-enviornment Protection Program of Hungary aims to improve the quality, health and saleability of agricultural products while protecting natural resources. Almond farms were among the organically-based agricultural businesses in Hungary at the time of its addition to the European Union in 2004. California leads world almond production, followed by Spain, Italy and Greece. Locally suited Hungarian almonds trees contribute to Hungary's domestic production.
(Ref 2; 3)
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References
Resources
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