Effect of rootstock and cultivars on some branch and leaf characteristics in pear

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effects of different pear and quince rootstocks on some branch and leaf properties of 'Deveci' and 'Williams' pear cultivars at Samsun ecological conditions in 2015-2016 years. The number of lateral branches (number plant-1), lateral branch length (cm) and diameter (mm) and branch angle (o) and petiole length (cm) and thickness (mm), leaf width and length (cm) and leaf area (cm2 leaf-1 ) were examined in the study. Rootstock and cultivar and rootstock x cultivar interaction had significant effects on all examined branch and leaf traits. The 'Deveci' cultivar had generally got better lateral branch characteristics and higher leaf size than the 'Williams'. The highest lateral branch number was observed in the OHxF333 rootstock, while the highest lateral branch diameter was found in the seedlings rootstock. The BA29 rootstock had wider angled branches than the other rootstocks. Leaf area was the highest in OHxF333 rootstock and the lowest in BA29 rootstock. The highest number of lateral branch was determined in the 'Deveci'/Fox11 and the lowest was in the 'Williams'/Fox11 scion/rootstock combinations. The longest lateral branches were detected in the 'Deveci'/BA29 and the 'Deveci'/seedling. The highest leaf area was found in the 'Deveci'/BA29 and 'Williams'/seedling and the lowest was in the 'Williams'/BA29 scion/rootstock combination. As a result, in this study was determined that the cultivars grafted on different rootstocks affect their growth and development by affecting their vegetative growth and morphological traits.