Articles
PRODUCTIVITY OF SELECTED POLISH SCAB RESISTANT APPLE CULTIVARS GROWN ON DIFFERENT ROOTSTOCKS
Article number
976_17
Pages
141 – 146
Language
English
Abstract
Resistance to apple scab is one of the most important objectives of the apple breeding program that has been conducted for many years at the Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture (currently the Research Institute of Horticulture), Skierniewice, Poland.
As a result, three apple genotypes resistant to apple scab have been released: Gold Milenium, Free Redstar and Melfree. The first cultivar is a late summer ripening genotype, whereas two others are autumn cultivars.
Their productivity was recorded in 2004-2009 from the cultivar trial located in the Pomological Orchard in Skierniewice (central Poland). Scab-resistant cultivars, Retina (mid-early) and Florina (late) were used as controls.
All cultivars were grown on four rootstocks: M.9, M.26, P14 and P60; trees were trained as spindle trees.
Pest control was applied as recommended for commercial apple orchards in Poland, fungicides against apple scab were not applied.
During the five seasons of investigation in the field, the cultivars showed no symptoms of apple scab or powdery mildew.
Regardless of the rootstocks used, the highest yield was produced by Gold Milenium followed by Melfree, and the lowest yield was obtained from Retina and Free Redstar. The genotypes also differed in fruit size.
Irrespective of the rootstocks Florina produced the smallest fruits and Melfree and Gold Milenium the largest, both grown on M.9 followed by Retina and Free Redstar. In general, all cultivars grown on P60 produced smaller fruits than on other rootstocks used in the experiment.
Collective results indicate a high overall value for Gold Milenium. Its fruits are large and oblong, the skin ground color is green-yellow with some pink blush and internal fruit quality is good including a high amount of soluble solids (Brix).
As a result, three apple genotypes resistant to apple scab have been released: Gold Milenium, Free Redstar and Melfree. The first cultivar is a late summer ripening genotype, whereas two others are autumn cultivars.
Their productivity was recorded in 2004-2009 from the cultivar trial located in the Pomological Orchard in Skierniewice (central Poland). Scab-resistant cultivars, Retina (mid-early) and Florina (late) were used as controls.
All cultivars were grown on four rootstocks: M.9, M.26, P14 and P60; trees were trained as spindle trees.
Pest control was applied as recommended for commercial apple orchards in Poland, fungicides against apple scab were not applied.
During the five seasons of investigation in the field, the cultivars showed no symptoms of apple scab or powdery mildew.
Regardless of the rootstocks used, the highest yield was produced by Gold Milenium followed by Melfree, and the lowest yield was obtained from Retina and Free Redstar. The genotypes also differed in fruit size.
Irrespective of the rootstocks Florina produced the smallest fruits and Melfree and Gold Milenium the largest, both grown on M.9 followed by Retina and Free Redstar. In general, all cultivars grown on P60 produced smaller fruits than on other rootstocks used in the experiment.
Collective results indicate a high overall value for Gold Milenium. Its fruits are large and oblong, the skin ground color is green-yellow with some pink blush and internal fruit quality is good including a high amount of soluble solids (Brix).
Authors
E. Żurawicz, M. Lewandowski, K.P. Rutkowski, K. Pruski
Keywords
Malus × domestica, cultivars, breeding, fruit quality
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