The Influence of cultivar, rootstock and culture system on growth and yield in apple

Abstract

The influence of two apple rootstocks (M9 and MM106) on growth and yielding of four apple cultivars (ʻPinovaʼ‚ ʻTopazʼ, ʻFlorinaʼ and ʻGolden Reindersʻ) in two culture system was studied. The experiment was placed in a commercial orchard at SC Agroindustriala Cluj-Napoca Romania, planted in 2007, during 2012-2104. In the experimental field some growth parameters (length of annual shoots, trunk cross-sectional area, tree height,) and fructification (average yield, and productivity index) were observed. The studied cultivars had a different response, on hand, due to the genetic characteristic of each one and on the other hand, due to the rootstock. The results showed that MM 106 transmit much strongly growth than M 9. The longest shoots, in mean values, gave the variants where the cultivars were grafted on MM 106 (53 cm) and the shortest (34.4 cm) on M9. The biggest average height of trees with the MM 106 rootstock were obtained (290 cm). The smallest average height of trees with the variants where the trees were grafted on M 9 (239 cm) was registered. The biggest average trunk cross sectional area with the MM 106 were obtained (102.1 cm 2 ). The best yield was obtained in variant where the cultivars were grafted on M 9 (47.03 t/ha) M9 rootstock has controlled the tree size of all cultivars more than MM 106 resulting in the lowest TCSA (58.8 cm 2 ) and the highest yield per hectar (47.03 tone/ha) and yield efficiency (925 kg/cm 2 ).