Performance of garden roses in north-central Texas under minimal input conditions
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One hundred sixteen rose (Rosa spp.) cultivars were evaluated under minimal input conditions in north-central Texas for 3 years. Plant quality data included overall plant performance, number of flowers, percentage of bloom coverage, final vigor, and survival. Disease ratings for black spot (Diplocarpon rosae), petal blight (Alternaria alternata), powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca pannosa), and aphid (Myzus spp.) infestations were previously reported. Of the original 116 cultivars, 25 had 50% or higher mortality during the trial. Own-root cultivars performed significantly better than the grafted cultivars and had significantly better survival (P = 0.001). As a class, the Polyantha cultivars exhibited the best overall performance, mean bloom percentage, final vigor and survival, while cultivars in the Hybrid Tea class had the worst performance in all measures. Foliar nutrient content, bloom number, and mean percentage of bloom were not good predictors of overall performance. Of the diseases monitored, black spot was the most severe and was closely correlated to overall performance and final vigor, but was not the only factor determining overall performance. The top five cultivars in mean overall performance were RADrazz (Knock Out), Caldwell Pink, Sea Foam, Perle d'Or, and The Fairy, in descending order.
