INVESTIGATIONS ON ROOTSTOCK-SCION COMBINATIONS BEHAVIOUR IN HIGH DENSITY APPLE ORCHARDS.

Investigations were carried out at the Fruit Growing Research Station Bistrita, during the period 1988 – 1991, on the behaviour of some rootstock-scion combinations in apple orchards at different densities (1250–1666 trees/ha).

We investigated the following combinations: Goldenspur on MM 106 and Bistrita 50, and Golden Delicious on M4, M9, M26, MM106 and BN 2/79.

The results obtained show that the best rootstocks for the Bistrita area are PF Bistrita 50 seedling rootstock and BN2/79 vegetative rootstock.

As compared with MM106, PF Bistrita 50 seedling rootstock has a deeper root system, is capable to a better exploration of different soil types (30 – 40 % clay content) poor in nutrient elements, and is tolerant to viruses as well.

The average fruit yields were higher (34.8%) in the case of Goldenspur cv grafted on PF Bistrita 50 than the mean of the experiment.

PF Bistrita 50 in the nursery did not have the deficiencies of MM106 (low resistance to frost and to waterlogging, high sensitivity to Phytophtora cactorum and latent viruses).

The behaviour of Golden Delicious cv grafted on M4, M9, M26, MM106 and BN2/79 in a high density apple orchard (1666 trees/ha) indicates increased yields in the case of BN 2/79, M26, and MM106.

BN 2/79 rootstock was characterized by medium vigour, good resistance to waterlogging and frost, tolerance to latent viruses and a higher photoassimilatory pigments content than MM106.

V International Symposium on Orchard and Plantation Systems

I.V. Platon, E.D. Vladianu, N. Minoiu

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1993.349.28