ROOTSROCK INFLUENCE ON THE GROWING RHYTHM AND ON THE FERTILITY OF PEACH TREES.

Rootstock selection cannot only solve problems of soil adaptation and size of trees, but influence productivity and fruit quality of the variety.

1. Mechanism of invigorating rootstock effect is exposed.

2. Many years of rootstock breeding show to us that, independantly of the level of size induced, some rootstock increase the productivity (productivity index) of buded trees.

3. Possible explanations is proposed on experimental basis :

   • These rootstocks induce a relatively slow growing rythm in early spring.

   • This slow growing rythm induce more axial flower buds formation on basal part of annual twigs.

   • This axial flower bud formation induce a better repartition of fruits all along twigs and this good repartition increase the productivity of the tree.

4. Possibility to use early criterion of selection in rootstock breeding is discussed.

International Conference on Peach Growing

R. BERNHARD

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1985.173.22