Articles
Rootstock effect on sour cherry ‘Zentenes’ tree growth and health
Article number
1457_21
Pages
161 – 168
Language
English
Abstract
The sour cherry cultivar ‘Zentenes’ was recommended for producing fresh fruit in Latvia, but its major difficulty is the strong tree vigour.
The aim of the research was to test the effect of several rootstocks on the sour cherry cultivar ‘Zentenes’ tree growth and health in different growing conditions.
The trial was established in Dobele, with high-fertility soil, and in Pūre, with medium-fertility soil conditions.
The following rootstocks were tested: mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb) seedlings as a control, P7, ‘GiSelA 5’, and the local sour cherry cultivar ‘Latvijas Zemais’ clone no. 52 and clone Raunas.
The vegetative growth was characterized by trunk circumference (TC) and annual shoot length (SL). The trunk and canopy damages were assessed visually using points from 0 (no damages) to 5 (overall damages). The chlorophyll index (CI) was detected in Dobele.
In both sites, the rootstocks ‘Latvijas Zemais’ Raunas and ‘Latvijas Zemais’ 52 significantly reduced TC: it was 72-87% of the control, whereas TC of trees grown on the rootstocks ‘GiSelA 5’ and P7 was 78-92% and 106-112% of the control, respectively.
The most significant differences of SL between the growing sites showed the trees on the rootstock ‘Latvijas Zemais’ Raunas with significantly longer shoots than the control in Dobele.
The SL of the trees on the rootstocks P7, Gisela 5, and ‘Latvijas Zemais’ 52 did not differ significantly from the control.
In both sites, among all rootstocks, trunk health was generally good (0-1.5 points), and canopy health was also good in Dobele.
The annual shoots were damaged by spring cold in Pūre in 2023, and the trees on the rootstocks ‘Latvijas Zemais’ Raunas and GiSelA 5 suffered more than others.
In 2018, when dry weather conditions prevailed, the trees grafted on P. mahaleb exhibited higher CI than the others.
The aim of the research was to test the effect of several rootstocks on the sour cherry cultivar ‘Zentenes’ tree growth and health in different growing conditions.
The trial was established in Dobele, with high-fertility soil, and in Pūre, with medium-fertility soil conditions.
The following rootstocks were tested: mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb) seedlings as a control, P7, ‘GiSelA 5’, and the local sour cherry cultivar ‘Latvijas Zemais’ clone no. 52 and clone Raunas.
The vegetative growth was characterized by trunk circumference (TC) and annual shoot length (SL). The trunk and canopy damages were assessed visually using points from 0 (no damages) to 5 (overall damages). The chlorophyll index (CI) was detected in Dobele.
In both sites, the rootstocks ‘Latvijas Zemais’ Raunas and ‘Latvijas Zemais’ 52 significantly reduced TC: it was 72-87% of the control, whereas TC of trees grown on the rootstocks ‘GiSelA 5’ and P7 was 78-92% and 106-112% of the control, respectively.
The most significant differences of SL between the growing sites showed the trees on the rootstock ‘Latvijas Zemais’ Raunas with significantly longer shoots than the control in Dobele.
The SL of the trees on the rootstocks P7, Gisela 5, and ‘Latvijas Zemais’ 52 did not differ significantly from the control.
In both sites, among all rootstocks, trunk health was generally good (0-1.5 points), and canopy health was also good in Dobele.
The annual shoots were damaged by spring cold in Pūre in 2023, and the trees on the rootstocks ‘Latvijas Zemais’ Raunas and GiSelA 5 suffered more than others.
In 2018, when dry weather conditions prevailed, the trees grafted on P. mahaleb exhibited higher CI than the others.
Publication
Authors
D. Dekena, D. Feldmane
Keywords
Gisela 5, Prunus cerasus, Prunus mahaleb, trunk circumference, chlorophyll index
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