Studies on the regeneration of peach cultivars and rootstocks from root cuttings in comparison with aerial cuttings

Abstract

This study showed that shoot cuttings collected from peach trees in February and November gave the highest sprouting percentages. A comparison of 3 cultivars of Prunus persica L. Batch (ArmKing, Early Crest and May Crest) showed that November sampling was optimal for all cultivars. Although the sprouting of root cuttings gave much lower percentages, the peak values occurred at exactly the same times of year as those for root formation. The results also showed that the effectiveness of indole-butyric acid treatment to induce root formation on detached root-shoots was greater when the seasonal rooting level is low. However, this inverse correlation is not significant when all 12 monthly values are combined. The data for comparing the 2 rootstocks and their interaction with the concentration of benzyl-adenine-purine applied showed that St Julien GF655/2 (Prunus insititia) had more productive root-shoots and better growth than Damas GF1869 (Prunus domestica × Prunus spinosa). There was no significant difference between different concentrations of benzyl-adenine-purine, but benzyl-adenine-purine affected the morphology of the young root-shoots. Cold storage for 1 month had a beneficial effect on sprouting of root cuttings of the rootstock GF677 (Prunus persica × Prunus amygdalus) and treatments with bottom heat increased sprouting over that achieved in the growth room. X-ray treated roots produced significantly fewer sprouts.