Performance of Prunus rootstocks in the 2001 NC-140 peach trial.

Fourteen Prunus rootstock cultivars and selections budded with either ‘Redtop’, ‘Redhaven’ or ‘Cresthaven’ peach were planted at 10 locations in North America in 2001 in a randomized block design with a tree spacing of 5 by 6 m and 8 replicates. This test planting was a NC-140 Cooperative Regional Rootstock Project (www.nc140.org). There were 14 rootstocks total, which included three peach seedling rootstocks: Lovell, Bailey, and Guardian® BY520-9 [selection SC-17]. Clonal rootstocks included peach x almond hybrids BH-4 and SLAP (Cornerstone); peach x plum hybrids K146-43 (Controller 5), K146-44, and P30-135 (Controller 9); interspecific plum hybrids Hiawatha, Jaspi and Julior; interspecific Prunus hybrids Cadaman® and VVA-1 (Krymsk® 1); and Prunus pumila selection Pumiselect®. The largest trees were from Georgia, Maryland, and South Carolina. BH-4, SLAP, SC-17, Lovell, and Cadaman® were the most vigorous rootstocks. Jaspi, K146-43, K146-44 and VVA-1 were the least vigorous, having trunk circumferences 30-40% smaller than Lovell. No rootstock had a significantly higher survival rate than Lovell at all locations. Julior, Jaspi, and VVA-1 had significantly more root suckers. Cumulative fruit yields were highest on the peach seedling, peach x almond, and Cadaman® rootstocks. Lowest cumulative yields were from trees on Jaspi, VVA-1, and K146-44 rootstocks. Fruit weight was significantly larger on BH-4, SLAP and Bailey rootstocks. Bailey and Jaspi had the highest and... [to full text]