Six-year performance of 14 Prunus rootstocks at 11 sites in the 2001 NC-140 peach trial
Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Journal of the American Pomological Society
Volume
65
Issue
1
Publication Date
1-1-2011
First Page
26
Last Page
41
Abstract
Fourteen Prunus rootstock cultivars and selections budded with either ‘Redtop’, ‘Redhaven’ or ‘Cresthaven’ peach [ Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] were planted at 11 locations in North America in 2001 in a randomized block design with a tree spacing of 5 by 6 m and 8 replicates. This test planting was an NC-140 Cooperative Regional Rootstock Project (www.nc140.org). There were 14 rootstocks in total, which included three peach seedling rootstocks: Lovell, Bailey, and Guardian ® ‘BY520-9’ [selection SC-17]. Clonal rootstocks included the peach × almond hybrids BH-4 and SLAP (Cornerstone); peach × plum hybrids K146-43 (Controller 5), K146-44, and P30- 135 (Controller 9); interspecific plum hybrids Hiawatha, Jaspi and Julior; interspecific Prunus hybrids Cadaman ® and VVA-1 (Krymsk ® 1); and Prunus pumila L. selection Pumiselect ® . Final tree size was largest in California, Georgia, Maryland, and South Carolina. BH-4, SLAP, SC-17, Lovell, and Cadaman ® were the most vigorous rootstocks. Jaspi, K146-43, K146-44 and VVA-1 were the least vigorous, having trunk cross-sectional areas 20-50% of Lovell-rooted trees. No rootstock had a significantly higher survival rate than Lovell at all locations, but Bailey, K146-44, and P30-135 had good survival at all test sites. Julior and Jaspi consistently produced root suckers. Pumiselect ® had anchorage problems at several locations. Cumulative fruit yields were highest on the peach seedling, peach × almond, and Cadaman ® rootstocks. Lowest cumulative yields were from the small trees on Jaspi, VVA-1 and K146-44 rootstocks. Fruit weight did not differ much among rootstocks though cultivars on Pumiselect ® and K146-43 often had smaller fruit. Cumulative yield efficiency was not consistently related to tree size. Rootstocks influenced dates of bloom and harvest, but not in a consistent manner across locations/cultivars.
Recommended Citation
Reighard, G.L., T. Beckman, R. Belding, B. Black, P. Byers, J. Cline, W. Cowgill, R. Godin, S. Johnson, J. Kamas, M. Kaps, H. Larsen, T. Lindstrom, M. Newell, D. Ouellette, R. Phokharel, L. Stein, K. Taylor, C. Walsh, D. Ward and M. Whiting. 2011. Six-year performance of 14 Prunus rootstocks at 11 sites in the 2001 NC-140 peach trial. Journal of the American Pomological Society 65(1): 26-41.
