PERFORMANCE OF 'NEGRET' HAZELNUT CULTIVAR ON SEVERAL ROOTSTOCKS

Negret' hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivar on two rootsystems, own-rooted and grafted onto seven seedling rootstocks ('Daviana', 'Gironell', 'Grifoll', 'Grifoll Fatarella', 'Queixal de gos', 'Merveille de Bolwiller' and 'Tonda Bianca'), were evaluated over a 4-year period (1992–1995) for vegetative growth, yield, number of suckers, and kernel quality, using a randomized complete block trial with 6 replications and 7 years old trees.

'Tonda Bianca' as rootstock clearly shows the best vegetative growth and yield perfomance of 'Negret' scion, followed by 'Merveille de Bolwiller' and 'Daviana'. In contrast, 'Negret' own-rooted give the poorest growth and yield but give the best kernel quality (high weight of kernel and size, and good oil composition). 'Gironell', 'Daviana' and 'Merveille de Bolwiller' seedling rootstocks give the highest suckers emission.