Abstract
Tree precocity represents an important characteristic that shortens the youth of the tree and influences the cost of maintenance of the orchard during the first years of production. Low vigour rootstocks ensure precocity but do not always ensure a good ramification and are more demanding in terms of culture conditions. Testing the way apple tree behaves using seven varieties (ʽPinova’, ʽSirius’, ʽMutsu’, ʽGoldRush’, ʽMars’, ʽKarneval’ and ʽTopaz’) grafted in eight combinations out of which four with an intermediary stock showed different reactions determined by the rootstock and by the intermediary itself regarding tree height, capacity to form branches of fruit and fruit buds. Tree height was influenced by the vigour of the rootstock; the largest trees were produced using the rootstock ʽMM106’ while the ʽB9’ used as interstem greatly reduced the vigour of the trees grafted on ʽA2’ and ʽMM111’. The ramification capacity depended on the grafting combination; the number of formed branches per tree had values between 0-13.4 depending on the rootstock, the interstem ʽB9’ having a positive influence on the result. The number of fruit buds formed in the plant nursery without any interventions on the trees was greatly influenced by the grafting interstem, the growth being of over 50% for all tested combinations. Thus the use of interstems represents an alternative to produce trees with fruit branches in plant nurseries.
Highlights
The apple tree (Malus domestica Borkh.) is one of the most important fruit growing species cultivated in Romania and worldwide, especially in mild areas, as its fruit can be consumed fresh or used as raw material for the food industry (Cimpoies, 2012)
As investments are high the research is focused on solutions to reduce the youth period by using low vigour rootstocks that lead to precocity (Gjamovski and Kiprijanovski, 2011) and produce trees with fruit branches formed in nurseries (Atay and Koyuncu, 2013)
Samad et al, (1999), studying the behaviour of four apple tree varieties grafted on three vigorous rootstocks and two grafting interstems, ʽM9’ andM27’, noticed that annual branches decreased by 20%, fruit production increased by 30%, fruit size was not influenced and the colour of the fruit intensified starting with the second year of production for the trees with interstem compared to the ones without interstem
Summary
The apple tree (Malus domestica Borkh.) is one of the most important fruit growing species cultivated in Romania and worldwide, especially in mild areas, as its fruit can be consumed fresh or used as raw material for the food industry (Cimpoies, 2012). Samad et al, (1999), studying the behaviour of four apple tree varieties grafted on three vigorous rootstocks and two grafting interstems, ʽM9’ andM27’, noticed that annual branches decreased by 20%, fruit production increased by 30%, fruit size was not influenced and the colour of the fruit intensified starting with the second year of production for the trees with interstem compared to the ones without interstem. Fruit quality is dependent on the variety and rootstock, while the temperature range and different factors influences colour and pigment content (Curry 1997; Lazar et al, 2010; Sestras et al 2010; Belgado-Gallardo et al, 2016; Jakobek and Barron, 2016)
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