PEAR PRODUCTION UTILIZING CULTIVARS AS INTERSTEMS

10-year trials of ‘D’Anjou’, ‘Bartlett’, ‘Bosc’ and ‘Comice’ pears were established on ‘Bartlett’ seedling rootstocks with 30 cm ‘D’Anjou’, ‘Bartlett’, ‘Bosc’, and ‘Conference’ interstems in Hood River and Medford, Oregon.
Non-interstemed trees were used as controls.
The interstem significantly affected the trunk cross sectional area (TCSA) measured fifteen cm above the lower bud union.
Trees grown in Hood River were approximately twice as large as those grown in Medford.
In both locations, trees with ‘Bosc’ interstems had the largest TCSA, and trees with ‘Bartlett’ interstems had the smallest TCSA. Cumulative fruit production in Hood River was approximately twice as large as in Medford and differences between interstems were larger in Hood River.
Neither fruit numbers nor yield on trees with interstems was significantly different from the non-interstemed controls.
Fruit size was significantly affected by interstem in only a few instances.
Few differences in yield efficiency were noted.
The use of cultivars as interstems does not appear warranted for commercial production.

X International Pear Symposium

E.A. Mielke, J. Turner, D. Sugar

pear, Pyrus communis L., yield, fruit size

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.800.106