# Biochemical Characterization of Some Plum Cultivars Available on the Romanian Market
## 2 Materials and Methods  
### Plant Material  
Four plum cultivars widely found on the Romanian market were analyzed. Fruits were acquired from local vendors in Constanta, southeast Romania, and analyzed immediately after purchasing.  
'Angeleno' is a cultivar of the Japanese plum, _Prunus salicina_. It was developed in the USA, but it is becoming more and more popular worldwide as a late-season variety, being among the few cultivars able to provide fruits in autumn (in the Northern Hemisphere). The tree has an erect or semi-upright habit, a medium vigor, good yield, a short time to the first harvest and a short chilling period. Its fruits are large (6-7 cm in diameter) round-shaped, slightly compressed vertically and asymmetrical. They have a dark red to blackish epicarp, a yellow, dense mesocarp and a small endocarp. The mesocarp is firm and easily detachable from the stone. Less succulent than other plums, the fruits have a sweet taste, tempered by medium acidity, and are suitable for long-term storage [13].  
'Anna Spath' was developed in Germany, in 1874, based on varieties from Hungary. It is a cultivar of the European plum (_P. domestica_), like the following two varieties. It is another late-season plum, yielding fruits in mid to end of September. It is a cultivar with a high resistance to drought and diseases, including plum box. Partially self-pollinating, it has medium to large, sphere-shaped or slightly elongated, purple-reddish fruits, with a sweet or slightly acid taste (yet considered less aromatic than other varieties) and a large endocarp that is easy to separate from pulp. The mesocarp is yellow-green and juicy [14].  
'Silvia' is a cultivar of Romanian origin, omologated in 1979. It is a hybrid of Althan greengage and Early Rivers. A partially self-pollinating cultivar, it is characterized by a regular, pyramid-shaped crown. It has an early fruiting season, from the end of July to the beginning of August. It has large fruits, around 55 g, with an oval and slightly elongated shape and a purple-blue epicarp. The mesocarp is yellow and succulent, although somewhat crispy and easy to separate from the stone. In the center, the fruit bears a medium-sized endocarp. The cultivar has rather low vigor, but it is resistant to _Polystigma rubrum_. Its juicy, sweet and aromatic taste makes it among the most preferred plum cultivars for fresh consumption in Romania.  
'Stanley' was first developed in the USA by hybridizing Agen and Grand Duc cultivars. It is a fully self-fertile European plum cultivar (although its yield increases when cross-pollinated from other cultivars), noteworthy for its easiness to grow. Its hardness is rather medium, but it prefers cooler and more humid springs, being able to withstand late frost episodes. It is also resistant to viral diseases and some insect pests. Its crown is vase-shaped. This cultivar is considered particularly attractive to bees. Its fruits are medium in size (30-40 g) and have an oval shape, a dark blue epicarp, a yellow, sweet, juicy but firm mesocarp and a large, free, endocarp. It ripens at the end of August-beginning of September. Its taste and texture make it particularly popular in Romania, being one of the most preferred cultivars for both fresh consumption and processing (as jams and compotes) [14; 15].