GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF 'DANUBE' ('ÉRDI BŐTERMŐ') SOUR CHERRY TREES ON MAHALEB INBRED LINES
Rootstocks that reduce annual growth are essential for planting intensive sweet and sour cherry orchards.
In the context of a cherry rootstock breeding project at the Department of Fruit Science, Danube (Érdi bőtermő) sour cherry trees were planted in 1989 on inbred lines of Korponay (Prunus mahaleb L.) rootstock.
The objective was to select growth-reducing mahaleb seedling rootstocks that would provide good yield efficiency and growth homogeneity.
In the orchard, a considerable ratio of second generation inbred lines reduced tree size; only one population promoted greater vigor in comparison to Korponay seedling (which represents the S1 self-pollinated generation). We concluded that the large majority of the S2 selfed generation (inbred line seedlings) can be used as growth reducing rootstocks for Danube. The evaluation of productivity on these inbred line seedlings revealed a wide range of cumulative yield efficiencies. Based on these results, the yield capacity was not necessarily related to either the low vigor or the precocious yields caused by the rootstocks. 'Danube' sour cherry trees on a number of the low vigor seedling populations showed low yield efficiency and low survival rate in comparison to Korponay S1 seedlings. However, six populations were found to have similar or higher yield efficiencies compared to Korponay. Considering the yield efficiency of individual trees, tree size, and survival, only five inbred lines showed similar or higher productivity per unit area compared to Korponay. Careful selection of those seed trees can make it feasible to find mahaleb seedling rootstocks with medium vigor and high yield efficiency. Based on homogeneity tests using orchard data from sour cherry trees budded on various seedling populations, it can be stated that trees budded on S2 inbred lines are, in general, more uniform compared to those budded on Korponay (S1 generation) seedlings. The improvement in homogeneity of rootstock seedling populations provides advantages both in the nursery and the orchard.
In the orchard, a considerable ratio of second generation inbred lines reduced tree size; only one population promoted greater vigor in comparison to Korponay seedling (which represents the S1 self-pollinated generation). We concluded that the large majority of the S2 selfed generation (inbred line seedlings) can be used as growth reducing rootstocks for Danube. The evaluation of productivity on these inbred line seedlings revealed a wide range of cumulative yield efficiencies. Based on these results, the yield capacity was not necessarily related to either the low vigor or the precocious yields caused by the rootstocks. 'Danube' sour cherry trees on a number of the low vigor seedling populations showed low yield efficiency and low survival rate in comparison to Korponay S1 seedlings. However, six populations were found to have similar or higher yield efficiencies compared to Korponay. Considering the yield efficiency of individual trees, tree size, and survival, only five inbred lines showed similar or higher productivity per unit area compared to Korponay. Careful selection of those seed trees can make it feasible to find mahaleb seedling rootstocks with medium vigor and high yield efficiency. Based on homogeneity tests using orchard data from sour cherry trees budded on various seedling populations, it can be stated that trees budded on S2 inbred lines are, in general, more uniform compared to those budded on Korponay (S1 generation) seedlings. The improvement in homogeneity of rootstock seedling populations provides advantages both in the nursery and the orchard.
Hrotkó, K., Magyar, L. and Szabó, SZ. (2005). GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF 'DANUBE' ('ÉRDI BŐTERMŐ') SOUR CHERRY TREES ON MAHALEB INBRED LINES. Acta Hortic. 667, 261-268
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.667.38
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.667.38
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.667.38
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.667.38
Prunus cerasus, Prunus mahaleb, inbreeding, vigor, yield efficiency, survival, homogeneity
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