ISHS Acta Horticulturae 395: Dormancy and the related Problems of Deciduous Fruit Trees
USE OF PEACH INTERSTEMS TO DELAY PEACH PHENOLOGY |
| Author: | G. L. Reighard |
| Keywords: | Prunus persica, Interstem, Phenology, Bloom delay, Asian Prunus Virus |
| Abstract:
Spring freezing injury to peach flowers is the primary limitation to consistent peach production in the southeastern United States. Bloom delay of even a few days can protect flowers from spring freezes by avoiding cold temperatures that are lethal to more advanced flower stages. Flower phenology and fruit maturity of 10 peach cultivars were delayed 4 to 12 and 1 to 8 days, respectively, by using Ta Tao 5 and Ta Tao 24 peaches (= high chill, white flesh genotypes) as interstems. Interstem trees had significantly smaller trunk diameters and fewer watersprouts. Fruit yields and fruit quality were comparable to non-interstem trees. Yield efficiency on a trunk cross-sectional area basis was significantly higher in interstem trees. Some effects observed in this study are thought to be due to the recently identified Asian Prunus Virus found in the Ta Tao genotypes. No graft incompatibility has been observed in the interstem combinations after 7 years. | |
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