ABSTRACT
Plums are a diverse group of species that belong to family Rosaceae and whose closest relatives are peaches and cherries. Plums are normally eaten as a dessert or used in baked pastries and flavored yogurt. Some species are commercially grown for their fruits (Prunus domestica and P. salicina), and a few purple leaf species (P. cerasifera) are used in landscape design for beautification due to their striking flowers and leaves. Flower development depends on genotypes, but they usually bloom in late winter or early spring. Flowers in plum genotypes are hermaphrodite with single pistil and 20–30 stamens enclosed in 5 petals and 5 sepals. All types of plums sprout from pre-spring to late winter and fruit, for the most part, from May through September, contingent upon species, cultivar, and environment. Phytohormones (especially ethylene and auxins) have been considered as the vital controller of maturing in the climacteric natural product. Bees and other pollinators provide stimuli for the fruit set. Temperature and hormones also strongly affect fruit set.
