Long term evaluation of growth and cropping of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) varieties on different rootstocks under Hungarian soil and climatic conditions

Abstract

Evaluation of four clonal mahaleb (’Bogdány’, ’Egervár’, ’Magyar’, ’SL 64’), three mahaleb seedlings (’Cemany’, ’Érdi V’, ’Korponay’), P. avium seedling (’C. 2493’), and ’GiSelA 6’, rootstocks budded with early ripening sweet cherry (P. avium L.) cultivars (’Petrus’, ’Vera’, ’Carmen’) have been studied under non-irrigated conditions in Central Hungary. The trial was set up at the Experimental Fields of NARIC Research Institute for Fruitgrowing and Ornamentals. Aim of our study was to find suitable rootstocks for novel bred Hungarian sweet cherry varieties trained to Hungarian Cherry Spindle. It can be stated after a 14 year-long investigation that’ Petrus’ is the most vigorous variety, ’Vera’ and ’Carmen’ are moderately vigorous. Although’ Carmen’ is less productive, its big fruit size compensates this character reaching the highest gross crop value. ’Petrus’ produced the largest cumulated yield but the least fruit size among the observed cherry varieties. ’GiSelA 6’ rootstock showed low vigor, and ’SL 64’ was the most vigorous one among the clonal mahalebs. Mahaleb seedlings ’Érdi V’, ’Korponay’, and ’Cemany’ induced high vigor, while ’Egervár’ with all varieties, and ’Magyar’ for ’Petrus’ showed moderate vigor, 82 and 74%, compared to ’SL 64’, respectively. Cumulated yield of varieties was different by rootstocks, the highest yield produced ’Vera’ trees on ’Egervár’, ’Carmen’ trees on ’Cemany’, ’Petrus’ on ’Magyar’ rootstocks but ’GiSelA 6’ rootstock showed the highest yield efficiency related to trunk cross-sectional area. The least fruit weight and fruit rate of 26 mm < was measured on ’GiSelA 6’. Although trees on ’GiSelA 6’ rootstock produced the highest yield and gross crop value efficiency even under non-irrigated conditions, the risk of significant smaller fruit size gives causa for concerns. Among Hungarian clonal mahaleb rootstocks ’Egervár’ was the most efficient with ’Vera’ and ’Carmen’ varieties considering the gross crop value, its moderate vigor and precocity.