The Effects of Combinations of Three Scions and Three Rootstocks on Yield and Quality of Iranian Pistachio Nuts

Abstract

Rootstocks in various species have been shown to significantly influence vigor of scion growth, yield, fruit size, maturity, quality, and other phenomena. This research studied the effects of combinations of three scions and three rootstocks of Iranian pistachio on characteristics of fruit. A split-plot design was laid out at Rafsanjan/Iran in 1993 and results for a period of 2 years from 1994 to 1995 are presented. Diameter of trunk 5 cm above and below the graft area, weight of nuts with hull, weight of nuts without hull, weight of in-shell nuts, weight of blank, percent of shell splitting and total yield weight were measured. Almost all the treatment differences in the experiment were associated with rootstock effects and not scions. Statistical analysis indicated that different scions had no effect on any of the measured characteristics except the diameter of trunk 5 cm below the graft area. Rootstocks, however, had large and significant effects on all the characters except percent shell splitting. Interactions between scion and rootstock were important such that the combination of the scion `Kalehghochi' with the rootstock `Ahli' gave substantially higher yields than any other combination.