ROOTSTOCKS AND INTERSTOCKS IN HIGH STANDARD PLUM VARIETIES

In 1952, the National Committee for the Study of Fruit Culture was undertaking, together with a description of plum varieties (1), a study on the behaviour first in nurseries and then in orchards of some plum varieties grafted on high stems, sometimes by help of an interstock variety.

It is true that many plum varieties do not present the required qualities so as to form their own stem and thus require the use of other varieties called interstocks.

However, as no orchards were to be found allowing comparison between several commercial varieties cultivated on various rootstocks and identified interstocks, we were obliged to create experimental orchards.

The investigation was to include three stages:

1. a study on the formation and behaviour of trees in nurseries (4);

2. a study on the behaviour of the trees planted in an orchard during the juvenile period;

3. a study on the yield of trees in full production stage.

The present report will particularly analyse the record stage, corresponding to growth period in the orchard.
After 9 years of study in the field, we may well describe the state of development of differently formed trees, draw certain conclusions as to their susceptibility to climate conditions and impart thus an orientation to the problem of forming a high standard plum variety.
However, before approaching the experiments themselves, it seems judicious to present the arguments that impelled us to study the above mentioned problem.

Symposium of Working Group on Plum Genetics and Plum Breeding

O. LIARD, P. ROLIN

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1968.10.30