Mortality of First-year Plantings of Selected Asian Pear in Northern Alabama

Abstract

The growing popularity of Asian pears in the open market has generated a need for more information about their fireblight resistance and stress tolerance. In 1994, Alabama A&M Univ. established a large research planting of 10 cultivars of Asian pear on three different rootstocks. The cultivars included Kosui, Korean Giant, 20th Century, Hosui, Shinko, Ichiban Nashi, Shinseiki, Chojuro, Okusankichi, and Shinsui. The three rootstocks used were Pyrus betulaefolia, Pyrus calleryana, and Old Home × Farmingdale 333. The planting was arranged as a randomized complete block replicated 10 times with a total of 300 trees planted. Mortality was scored in late 1995 and data was subjected to Chi-square analysis. Rootstock did have a significant effect on mortality. P. betulaefolia had the lowest frequency of mortality of 11%, with Old Home and P. calleryana at 24% and 31% respectively. Cultivars also had a significant effect on mortality. Korean Giant and Shinseiki had the lowest mortality of 3.33% and 6.67%, respectively. Kosui and Hosui had the highest mortality of 46.67% and 36.67%. Stress conditions that occurred during 1995 and environmental factors that contribute to the development of fireblight were responsible for the mortality of the Asian pear.