ISHS Acta Horticulturae 903: IX International Symposium on Integrating Canopy, Rootstock and Environmental Physiology in Orchard Systems
CONTROLLER 5, CONTROLLER 9 AND HIAWATHA PEACH ROOTSTOCKS: THEIR PERFORMANCE AND PHYSIOLOGY |
| Authors: | T.M. DeJong, R.S. Johnson, K.R. Day |
| Keywords: | Prunus persica, dwarfing rootstocks, size controlling, rootstock physiology, root hydraulic conductance |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.903.27 |
| Abstract:
The primary factor limiting the use of size-controlling rootstocks in California peach and nectarine production is the lack of suitable, commercially available size-controlling rootstocks with a wide range of compatibility with scion cultivars. In 1986, Prunus genotypes with widely varying genetic backgrounds were evaluated for their rooting capacity, compatibility with ‘O’Henry’ peach and size-controlling characteristics. Subsequently a semi-commercial rootstock trial was initiated at the Kearney Agricultural Center (Parlier, CA) to evaluate the commercial potential of eight rootstocks identified in the previous trial. The main part of this experiment involved ten different rootstocks and two scions. The ten rootstocks were: Alace, Hiawatha, Sapalta (open pollinated seedlings of a Prunus besseyi × P. salicina hybrid), K-145-5, K-146-43, K-146-44, P-30-135 (P. salicina × P. persica hybrids), K-119-50 (P salicina × P. dulcis hybrid), and two commercially available rootstocks, Citation and Nemaguard. The two main scion cultivars were ‘Loadel’ (an early clingstone processing cultivar) and ‘Flavorcrest’ (an early fresh market freestone cultivar). This trial documented that three rootstocks provided a range of size-controlling (compared to trees grown of the vigorous commercial standard, Nemaguard), were compatible with a broad array of scion cultivars and appeared to have commercial potential for California. As a result of this and other research, in 2004 K146-43 and P30-135 were patented and commercially released as Controller 5 and Controller 9, respectively. We also began recommending commercial trials of these two rootstocks along with Hiawatha because they provided a range of size-controlling options (~50, 70 and 90% of trees on Nemaguard for Controller 5, Hiawatha and Controller 9, respectively). This paper reports on relative tree growth, crop yield and pruning requirements of trees on these three rootstocks compared to the industry standard (Nemaguard) over twelve years. | |
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