DEVELOPMENT AND SELECTION OF NEW ROOTSTOCKS OF PRUNUS DOMESTICA.

ISHS Acta Horticulturae 283: IV International Symposium on Plum and Prune Genetics, Breeding and Pomology

**DEVELOPMENT AND SELECTION OF NEW ROOTSTOCKS OF PRUNUS DOMESTICA.**

Authors:

R. RENAUD, G. SALESSES, M. ROY, A. BONNET

Abstract:
For 30 years, the Fruit Tree Research Station of the Grande Ferrade has been involved in development and selection of rootstocks of Prunus. A large programme of interspecific hybridization among the groups of plum and between plum and peach have recently permitted us to introduce new variability which has been exploited, firstly, in the selection of rootstocks for peach. Secondly, in recent years, the objective of this programme has been the selection of rootstocks of the domestic plum which have several essential characteristics:

a reduction of vigour in relation to myrobalan and P.Marianna GF 8-1;
a more rapid fruiting;
a modification of the type of ramification and fructification;

In 1980, two orchards were planted with known rootstocks in soils of different natures. The rootstock, P.Marianna GF 8-1, P.domestica GF 43, Pixy, St. Julien GF 655-2 and five interspecific hybrids were grafted with several varieties: French prune, Greengage, 'Mirabelle de Nancy' and 'Stanley'.

After eight years of growth and four to five harvests, depending on the variety, the rootstocks were evaluated for their vigour:

vigorous : P.Marianna GF 8-1, P.domestica GF 43;
semi-vigorous : St. Julien 655-2, hybrid (322*871)1, hybrid (2069*106)4;
weak rootstocks : Pixy and others hybrids.

In this last category, vigour was reduced 25 to 30% of that. As for productivity (index of production calculated by unit of trunk surface = kg/cm2), it was possible to distinguish three classes:

productive rootstocks : hybrids (322*871)1, (2069*106)4 and St. Julien 655-2;
moderately productive : GF 8-1;
weakly productive: Pixy, GF 43.

Compared to GF 8-1, the reduction of productivity of these two rootstocks is 15% for Pixy, a weak rootstock and 30% for GF 43, a vigorous rootstock.

Only hybrid (322*871)1 had a positive effect (+10%) on the size of fruit when grafted with French prune. The other rootstocks showed no effect on fruit size, quality (sugar content and acidity), flowering date or ripening time.

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