Preliminary results on the behaviour of two micropropagated and grafted apricot cultivars

The responses of 'Flopria' apricot to the propagation techniques of micropropagation (M) and graft (G) were compared through the assessment of some vegetative and reproductive traits. Both the M and G trees were planted (5×3 m distance) in 2011 at a private farm in southern Italy and trained to open vase. At 2 and 4 years after planting, the trunk diameter, tree height, number of floral buds, flowers, fruit-set and the presence of spiny spurs were recorded. At 2015 harvest, fruit size, °Brix and fruit firmness were determined. Trunk diameter and fruit quality traits did not differ between treatments, while the numbers of floral buds, flowers and fruit-set of M trees were on average ~65% of those of G trees. Tree height and the presence of spiny spurs on basal branches were higher in M trees. The paper discusses the overall higher presence of juvenile traits in M trees compared to G trees.