PYRODWARF, A NEW CLONAL ROOTSTOCK FOR HIGH DENSITY PEAR ORCHARDS

Quinces are still the main pear rootstock in Europe, however their diffusion has led to several problems including variety-incompatibility, iron chlorosis development and low winter cold hardiness.
Rootstocks belonging to Pyrus communis may overcome such problems.
A breeding program for obtaining P. communis rootstocks suitable to a modern pear production has been undertaken since 1980 at the Geisenheim Research Institute, Department of Pomology, Germany.
Out of more than 800 seedlings obtained from crossings of ‘Old Home’ x ‘Bonne Luise d’Avranches’, about 10 clones with low to medium vigor have been considered interesting.
The first dwarfing clone named ‘Pyrodwarf’ conferred low vigor, high precocity and yield efficiency, uniform fruit size, good compatibility with all varieties, good anchorage and winter cold hardiness, no sucker development and no lime-induced chlorosis on high pH soils.
The variety name will be ‘Pyrodwarf’, and the patent name ‘Rhenus 1’.

VII International Symposium on Pear Growing

Helmut B. Jacob

Pyrus, pear rootstock, seedling, dwarf, semidwarf

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.475.20