NEW PLUM ROOTSTOCK SELECTIONS WITH LOW VIGOR AND HIGH CAPACITY OF PROPAGATION

Romania is one of the main European plum growing countries.
As a consequence, intensive breeding programs for plum cultivars and rootstocks have been carried out during the last 30 years.
The results of these rootstock breeding programs has included the selection of 11 new rootstocks.
These are of medium or high vigor with the exception of the ‘Oteşani 8’ rootstock, which has low vigor (semi-dwarf). ‘Otesani 8’ induces in the grafted cultivars similar vigor to ‘Pixy’ and ‘Saint Julien A’, but is better adapted to heavy and thin clay soils (over 20 % clay). Its compatibility with the majority of plum cultivars is very good, even with cultivars of ‘Tuleu gras’ and the ‘Reine Claude d’Althan’ types.
During the last decade, through hybridization and selection, rootstocks of low vigor have been obtained.
They have a high capacity to propagate by hardwood cuttings special “bottom heated” installations.
The rootstocks selections originated from crosses of ‘Scolduş’ x ‘Pixy’ (H 38-6-88, H 38-5-88) and ‘Oteşani 8’ x ‘Prunus besseyi’ (H 31-1-88, H 31-30-88). The propagation capacity via hardwood cuttings is high for these selections (64-72 % of rooted cuttings). Through the promotion of new rootstocks of reduced vigor, the plum growing systems are being substantially modified; from 400 trees / ha, densities of 800-1200 trees / ha can now be easy achieved.

I International Symposium on Rootstocks for Deciduous Fruit Tree Species

I. Botu, E. Turcu, M. Botu

plum, rootstock, breeding, vigor

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.658.65