Growth and yield characteristics of ‘Summit’ sweet cherry on different rootstocks

The goal of the study was to examine the effect of seven cherry rootstocks (‘Gisela 5’, ‘Gisela 6’, ‘CAB 6P’, ‘Alkavo 2’, ‘MaxMa14’, ‘MaxMa 60’ and ‘F 12/1’) on the growth, productivity and fruit quality of ‘Summit’ sweet cherry cultivar.
The trees were planted in the spring of 2008 at distances of 4.0×3.0 m, formed in free-growing crowns and irrigated by overhead sprinklers.
Tree vigour (trunk cross-sectional area, crown volume and canopy area), yield, yield efficiency and fruit sizes were recorded each year in the period 2008-2019. The results clearly showed the influence of rootstocks on tree growth.
Twelve years after planting the most vigorous rootstock was ‘MaxMa 60’ and the weakest were ‘Gisela 5’ and ‘Gisela 6’. The highest cumulative yield per tree was obtained with ‘MaxMa 60’, followed by ‘MaxMa 14’ and ‘CAB 6P’. Rootstocks ‘Gisela 5’ and ‘Gisela 6’ negatively influenced the yield per tree.
Some significant differences were found on the average weight and size of the fruit under the influence of tested rootstocks.

IV International Symposium on Horticulture in Europe – SHE2021

D. Sotirov

tree vigor, canopy dimensions, yield, fruit sizes

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2021.1327.17