FRUIT QUALITY AND STORABILITY OF 'ELISE' APPLES DEPENDING ON THE ROOTSTOCK

Abstract

The effect of fifteen rootstocks (P 2, P 14, P 16, P 22, Nr 47, P 59, P 60, B 9, B 146, B 396, PB-4, M.9 EMLA, M.26, M.27 and M.7) on the storability of 'Elise' apples was studied in the 1999-2001 seasons. Measurements during harvest included mean fruit weight, flesh firmness, starch index, soluble solids and internal ethylene. After six months of cold storage, weight loss, firmness, soluble solids and incidence of storage diseases and disorders were determined. Trends showing higher firmness values for fruits from trees on red-leaved rootstocks (B 9, P 60, B 396, P 59) were noted. Fruits from trees on P 2 resulted in higher than average internal ethylene levels, although values obtained for M.27 were lower than average. B 9, P 59 and M.27 resulted in higher values of the Streif index that corresponded with later ripening. The smallest fruits were noted for super dwarfing rootstocks PB-4, P 22 M.27 and P 59, while the biggest were on P 14, M.7 and P 2. A low percentage of physiological disorders of fruits was noted for B 9, B 396, P 59 and Nr 47. A high seasonal variation was observed for firmness, climacteric ethylene production, maturity indices and fruit quality after storage.