THE INFLUENCE OF INTERSTOCKS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF ITALIAN PRUNE CULTIVAR

The influence of 10 plum rootstocks and cultivars used as interstocks/40 cm long/on the growth and cropping of Italian Prune was investigated.
Trees of the same c.v. grafted directly on Prunus divaricata seedlings were used as control.
It was found, that during the 5 years after planting the orchard, interstocks did not have any significant influence on the size of the trees.
Some tendencies to weaker growth were observed on trees with interstocks: Common Mussel, Myrobalan B and Skorospielka Prune.

Trees without and with interstocks came into bearing in the third year after planting.
Interstock from Brompton rootstock had a beneficial influence on the yield.
In the second year after planting trees with this interstock gave almost 100% higher yield compare to the control, and in the third year 40 percent higher.
Other interstocks had no beneficial influence on the yield of trees.

Some of the interstocks like Brompton, Broadleaved Mussel, Common Mussel and partly Skorospielka modified length of pistils and stamen and this way influenced indirectly flower pollination and fruit set.

Symposium on Plum Genetics, Breeding and Pomology

Z.S. Grzyb, A. Jackiewicz

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1978.74.25