A BRIEF REVIEW OF PEAR ROOTSTOCK DEVELOPMENT

Most European Pear (Pyrus communis) scion cultivars are propagated on either rootstocks of the same species or on quince (Cydonia oblonga) rootstocks.
Occasionally, other Pyrus species, such as P. calleryana, P. ussuriensis or P. betulaefolia are also used as rootstocks, but trees raised on these are invariably extremely vigorous and unsuited to modern systems of high density tree management.
The many advantages associated with using quince rootstock clones will be reviewed and several new clonal quince stocks selected in Europe described.
The problems associated with use of quince rootstocks, namely poor graft compatibility with many scion cultivars and sensitivity to winter cold injury and to highly calcareous soils will be considered and possible remedial strategies discussed.

Most Pyrus communis rootstock are very invigorating, difficult to propagate vegetatively and are poor in inducing precocious cropping in the scion.
Attempts to breed and select new improved clonal Pyrus rootstock will be described.

Finally, the need for pear rootstock in the future is questioned.
Will advances in genetic engineering techniques, if used to improve scion cultivars directly, render pear rootstocks obsolete in the future decades?

VII International Symposium on Pear Growing

A.D. Webster

Quince rootstocks, clonal rootstocks, Pyrus rootstocks, graft compatibility, genetic engineering

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.475.16