ISHS Acta Horticulturae 465: IV International Peach Symposium
DEVELOPING ARMILLARIA RESISTANT ROOTSTOCKS FOR PEACH |
| Author: | T.G. Beckman |
| Keywords: | Prunus persica, Armillaria tabescens, breeding |
| Abstract:
Armillaria Root Rot (Armillaria tabescens) is the second leading cause of peach tree mortality (after peach tree short life) in the southeastern United States. Estimated lifetime production losses attributed to Armillaria average more than $5 million (U.S. dollars) annually. Currently, in the United States there are no commercially available rootstocks for peach with proven resistance to this pathogen. Available chemical controls are not considered to be cost effective. Since 1983 we have been screening rootstock candidates for resistance to Armillaria. Most peach germplasm screened to date appears to be unacceptably susceptible to this pathogen. However, plums appear to offer useful levels of resistance. As a group, those plum lines which have some native North American plum germplasm in their pedigree have performed better than those lines based on non-native species. Attempts to improve infection rates and hasten tree decline and death in field trials through artificial inoculation have had promising results. | |
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