Performance of Prunus Rootstocks in the 2001 NC-140 Peach Trial
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Fourteen Prunus rootstock cultivars and selections budded with either 'Redtop', 'Redhaven' or 'Cresthaven' peach were planted at 11 locations in North America in 2001 in a randomized block design with a tree spacing of 5 by 6 m and 8 replicates. This test planting was a NC-140 Cooperative Regional Rootstock Project (www.nc140.org). There were 14 rootstocks, which included three peach seedling rootstocks: 'Lovell', 'Bailey', and Guardian 'BY520-9' [selection SC-17] and 11 clonal rootstocks. Clonal rootstocks included peach almond hybrids 'BH-4' and 'SLAP' ('Cornerstone'); peach plum hybrids 'K146-43' ('Controller 5'), 'K146- 44', and 'P30-135' ('Controller 9'); interspecific plum hybrids 'Hiawatha', 'Jaspi' and 'Julior'; interspecific Prunus hybrids 'Cadaman' and 'VVA-1' (Krymsk 1); and Prunus pumila selection 'Pumiselect'. The largest trees were from Georgia, Maryland, and South Carolina. 'BH-4', 'SLAP', SC-17, Lovell, and 'Cadaman' were the most vigorous rootstocks. 'Jaspi', 'K146-43', 'K146-44' and 'VVA-1' were the least vigorous, having trunk circumferences 30-40% smaller than Lovell. No rootstock had a significantly higher survival rate than Lovell at all locations. 'Julior', 'Jaspi', and 'VVA-1' had significantly more root suckers. Cumulative fruit yields were highest on the peach seedling, peach almond, and 'Cadaman' rootstocks. Lowest cumulative yields were from trees on 'Jaspi', 'VVA-1', and 'K146-44' rootstocks. Fruit weight was significantly larger on 'BH-4', 'SLAP' and 'Bailey' rootstocks. 'Bailey' and 'Jaspi' had the highest and lowest cumulative yield efficiency, respectively.
