ISHS Acta Horticulturae 451: VI International Symposium on Integrated Canopy, Rootstock, Environmental Physiology in Orchard Systems
BIOAGRONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE MAIN FRUIT TREE ROOTSTOCKS IN ITALY |
| Author: | F. Loreti |
| Keywords: | Rootstocks, fruit trees |
| Abstract:
This paper reports the first results obtained by the Working Group on Rootstocks set up within the framework of a targeted project “National List of Recommended Rootstocks and Fruit Varieties” of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture (MIRAAF) in 1992 to pursue the following goals: a) bioagronomic evaluation of rootstocks recently introduced on the Italian nursery market; b) comparative assessment of these rootstocks in different Italian pedoclimatic environments; c) identification of agronomically and commercially valid rootstocks; d) periodic drawing up of a national list of recommended rootstocks. Trials were performed on 19,000 purpose-planted trees on 80 different rootstocks, onto which the following species were grafted: apple, pear, apricot, European plum, Chinese-Japanese plum, cherry and almond. The plant material was genetically homogeneous, of the same age and grown with identical experimental design, training system and planting distances. Evaluation of each rootstock was carried out by 23 Operational Units located throughout Italy, using a common methodology consisting of determination of a series of vegetative, production, phenologic and qualitative fruit parameters, assessment of resistance or susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stress, graft incompatibility and suckering. Rootstock evaluation reported here was based on results of the first 4 years of observation together with experience obtained from previous research. | |
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