SUITABILITY OF COMMERCIAL APPLE VARIETIES ON DWARF ROOTSTOCKS FOR GROWING ACCORDING TO DENSIFIED PATTERNS

Abstract

In order to assess the suitability of apple varieties that differ in the type of fruiting and genetic potential for productivity
 of apple varieties on dwarf rootstocks for growing according to densified patterns and to identify the optimal placement
 pattern for each scion-rootstock combination in the experimental orchard of RUE “Institute of Fruit Growing”, an orchard
 was planted with annual seedlings of three commercial varieties on dwarf rootstocks: Belorusskoe Sladkoe on M-9 and PB-4,
 Imant on 62-396 and PB-4, Nadzejny on 62-396, M-9 and PB-4 in the spring of 2010. Planting schemes for all scion-rootstock
 combinations are 3.5 × 1.5 m (1904 trees/ha) and 3.5 × 1.0 m (2857 trees/ha). The full realization of the productivity potential of varieties was ensured by denser placement of trees according to the planting pattern of 3.5 × 1.0 m (2857 trees/ha) and dwarf rootstock 62-396 – for Imant and Nadzejny varieties, dwarf rootstock M-9 – for Belorusskoe Sladkoe and Nadzejny varieties. Rootstock PB-4 did not solve the problems of intensive commercial fruit growing.