Behaviour of scion-rootstock combinations of pistachio under Mediterranean climate

In Tunisia, the usually used rootstock for pistachio is Pistacia vera. However, some wild pistachio species as P. atlantica and P. terebinthus spread naturally within Tunisia.
They seem to be well adapted to the arid zone conditions where pistachio is planted.
An experiment was carried out at the experimental station Taous (34°44’26”N, 10°45’37”E) in central Tunisia to study the scion-rootstock combinations of pistachio with two cultivars ‘Mateur’ and ‘Kerman’ grafted on P. vera and 
P. atlantica. Vegetative growth and physiological parameters were monitored for the four scion-rootstock combinations.
Results showed that trees grafted on P. atlantica were more vigorous for both cultivars.
Leaf chlorophyll and soluble sugar contents showed significant differences among scion-rootstock combinations. Pistacia atlantica induced higher leaf organic compounds (chlorophyll and soluble sugar) for both pistachio cultivars implying that it is a more interesting rootstock under Tunisian arid conditions characterized by high water scarcity and evaporative demand.

XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014): International Symposium on Nut Crops

M. Ghrab, A. Chelli-Chaabouni, M. Ben Mimoun

scion, rootstock, vigour, flowering, photosynthesis

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1109.25