Articles
Water relations of rootstock-scion combinations of stone and pome fruit in narrow orchard systems
Article number
1468_67
Pages
527 – 534
Language
English
Abstract
Rising temperatures and increasing pressure on water resources in the Goulburn Valley of southeastern Australia highlight the need for rootstocks that maintain favorable water relations under water deficit.
This study evaluated physiological responses of young cherry, nectarine, plum and apple plants grafted onto three contrasting rootstocks per crop and trained under narrow orchard systems.
Plants were maintained under well-watered conditions for nine weeks, then subjected to a 10-day irrigation water withdrawal period, after which they were monitored for three weeks of recovery.
Measurements included midday stem water potential (Ψstem), stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration rate (E). Rootstock-specific differences were evident across crops where Stallion in cherry experienced lower Ψstem, gs and E under stress, where Gisela 12 maintained comparatively higher gs and E. In nectarine, dwarfing rootstock, Rootpac® 20, displayed constrained gs, E, Ψstem in stress compared to semi-vigorous Rootpac® 40, which displayed late reduction in gas exchange parameters.
In plum, Warootone exhibited trends of lower gs and E, whereas Myrobalan H29C and Rootpac® R displayed higher recovery values.
In apple, CG202 and G41 maintained higher Ψstem under high evaporative demand, with CG202 experiencing delayed reductions in gs and E under water stress.
These results revealed early physiological behavior of rootstocks in stomatal regulation under water stress can be useful indicators for selecting rootstock–scion combinations suited to water-limited, narrow orchard systems.
This study evaluated physiological responses of young cherry, nectarine, plum and apple plants grafted onto three contrasting rootstocks per crop and trained under narrow orchard systems.
Plants were maintained under well-watered conditions for nine weeks, then subjected to a 10-day irrigation water withdrawal period, after which they were monitored for three weeks of recovery.
Measurements included midday stem water potential (Ψstem), stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration rate (E). Rootstock-specific differences were evident across crops where Stallion in cherry experienced lower Ψstem, gs and E under stress, where Gisela 12 maintained comparatively higher gs and E. In nectarine, dwarfing rootstock, Rootpac® 20, displayed constrained gs, E, Ψstem in stress compared to semi-vigorous Rootpac® 40, which displayed late reduction in gas exchange parameters.
In plum, Warootone exhibited trends of lower gs and E, whereas Myrobalan H29C and Rootpac® R displayed higher recovery values.
In apple, CG202 and G41 maintained higher Ψstem under high evaporative demand, with CG202 experiencing delayed reductions in gs and E under water stress.
These results revealed early physiological behavior of rootstocks in stomatal regulation under water stress can be useful indicators for selecting rootstock–scion combinations suited to water-limited, narrow orchard systems.
Authors
H. Singh, A. Scalisi, M.G. OConnell, L. Han, I. Goodwin
Keywords
apple, cherry, nectarine, plum, stem water potential, stomatal conductance
Groups involved
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