THE EFFECT OF ROOTSTOCK ON AGRONOMICAL PERFORMANCE AND FRUIT QUALITY OF 'ELEGANT LADY®' PEACH CULTIVAR

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The agronomical performance and fruit quality of 'Elegant Lady (Merdame)' peach cultivar grafted on 22 rootstocks were evaluated over 1996-2005 and 1996-2003 periods at IRTA's Experimental Stations of Lleida and Mas Badia (Spain), respectively. Rootstock origin was: peach seedlings, peach × almond hybrids, inter-specific hybrids and different plum species. Blooming period was not consistently affected by the rootstock, except for Barrier which tended to advance bloom from 2 to 3 days. Tree vigour was significantly affected by the rootstock, thus, three groups of vigour were established from more to less vigour: 1) Felinem (GxN-22), Myran (Yumir), Titan, INRA GF-677, Garnem (GxN-15), Barrier and Cadaman (Avimag); 2) peach seedlings: INRA GF-305, Montclar (Chanturgue), Rubira, PS-A5, PS-A6, PS-B2, Nemared, Nemaguard; 3) Isthara (Ferciana) and plum rootstocks. Annual and cumulative yield were affected by location and rootstock, obtaining higher yields in Lleida than in Girona. More vigorous rootstocks also provided, in general, greater yields per tree. When cumulative yield and vigour were related (yield efficiency), all rootstocks resulted in a good efficiency which was greater in less or medium vigorous rootstocks as Jaspi (Fereley), Isthara (Ferciana), Barrier, Cadaman (Avimag), plum and peach seedling rootstocks than in the most vigorous ones as Myran (Yumir), Titan or Felinem (GxN-22). From the vigorous rootstocks, INRA GF-677 provided the greater yield efficiency in both locations. Sensitivity to iron chlorosis was also affected by the rootstock: Nemaguard, Nemared and Myran (Yumir), were the most sensitive, and INRA GF-677 and Titan being the most tolerant, and providing the rest intermediate values. INRA GF 655/2 was the most sensitive to root suckering, followed by the rest of plum rootstocks and Jaspi (Fereley). Inter-specific hybrids and peach seedlings were not sensitive to root suckering. Fruit colour was enhanced by plum rootstocks and Ishara (Ferciana). Fruit firmness was greater for Barrier, Cadaman (Avimag), INRA GF-677, Garnem (GxN-15) and Felinem (GxN-22), intermediate for peach seedlings and lower for plum rootstocks and Ishara (Ferciana), depending on the location. Soluble solids content was in the opposite sense than fruit firmness, and titratable acidity was not affected by the rootstock.