The effect of rootstock on yield and quality of ‘Mutsu’ apples

Summary

Yield and fruit quality parameters were studied during three years in a rootstock trial with ‘Mutsu’ apple. M.9 provided the highest total yield per tree as well as the highest quantity of intermediate and yellow fruit as compared with J.9, M.26 and B.9. Within similar colour categories, significant differences among rootstocks were also recorded for fruit starch degradation pattern (SDP), firmness, titratable acidity (TA), and soluble solids concentrations (SSC). Generally, the lowest SDP and highest fruit firmness was found in fruits from trees on rootstocks M.26 and B.9. The highest TA was found in fruits from trees on rootstocks M.26 and J.9 and the highest SSC in fruits from trees on rootstocks J.9 and B.9. However, considerable variations among years were also recorded. Correlation coefficients between rootstock and several yield and quality parameters revealed high correlation to SSC for green fruit and TA for medium and yellow fruit and some correlation to yield and number of fruits per tree.     

Non-Destructive Evaluation of Edible Coatings Effects on Keeping Quality of European Plums (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus domestica</Emphasis> L.) by Laser Light Backscattering Imaging

Fruits of European plum (Prunus domestica L.) show high rates of transpiration. Consequently, they are highly perishable fruit. In the present study, the potential of an edible coating (Versasheen®-based with sorbitol as plasticizer) to improve storage life and keeping quality was evaluated on fruit of the plum cultivars ‘Jojo’ and ‘Tophit plus’. Plums were picked at commercial harvest date and stored at 2?±?0.5?°C (90?±?2% rh) for up to 28?d plus 2?d at 20?°C to simulate shelf life. Every seventh day, plums were analysed for transpiration, colour changes and laser light backscattering imaging (LLBI) at a wavelength of 785?nm to non-destructively investigate variations in quality properties of plums. Finally, fruit flesh firmness, soluble solids content, and titratable acidity were determined destructively. Results indicated that coating of fruit of both cultivars increased their surface resistance against water vapour transfer resulting in lower transpiration rates and thus lower mass losses compared to controls. Consequently, coating of fruit considerably delayed the decrease in flesh firmness. Moreover, edible coating retarded the increase of FWHM785 in coated plums. In this context, FWHM785 proved as a rapid and non-destructive tool to monitor changes in mechanical properties in heavily coloured plums. Results highlight that edible coatings successfully extend post-harvest life of plums.     

Effects of cultivar and rootstock on the antioxidant content and physical characters of clingstone peaches

A study was conducted to investigate the variability in the fruit antioxidant content and physical characters of six clingstone cultivars and three breeding selections of peach grafted on three rootstocks. The parameters measured were fruit weight, fruit and stone dimensions, flesh color using CIELAB color variables, total antioxidant activity using the radical DPPH, total phenolics, ascorbic acid, soluble solids and total acid content. Fruit from cultivar PI-E45 had the highest total antioxidant activity (10.7 mg g⁻¹ DW) and total phenolic (6.9 mg g⁻¹ DW) content, which were up to 6.3- and 5.3-fold greater, respectively, compared with the rest studied cultivars. The highest ascorbic acid content was found in Fortuna (7.3 mg 100 g⁻¹ FW) and was up to 1.4-fold greater compared with the rest studied cultivars. A high correlation between AEAC and the phenolic content was found, but not between AEAC and the ascorbic acid content. The largest fruit was harvested in cultivar Andross followed with a descending order by PI-E45, PI-IB42, PI-A37 (seedlings of Andross), Fortuna and Loadel ? Everts and Catherina ? Romea. Changes in the fruit weight were usually according to changes in stone width. The fruit and stone shape differed among the cultivars but not among the rootstocks studied. Effects of rootstock on the fruit antioxidant contents were not pronounced. Nevertheless rootstocks altered the fruit weight since in all cultivars, apart from Romea and Catherina, when grafted on GF 677 produced the largest fruit (mean 186 g) followed by PR204 (mean 176 g) and even smaller by KID1 (mean 161 g). Results from correlation analyses showed that flesh brightness (measured in frozen fruit) may suggest for more nutritional flesh and small sized fruit may contain a redder and less bright colored flesh.     

Influence of rootstock on orchard productivity and fruit quality in peach cv. ‘Redhaven’

Summary

We have evaluated the influence of four different peach rootstocks (Prunus pumila,‘GF 655/2’ ,‘Missour’ and ‘GF 677’ as a standard) planted in medium-heavy to heavy soil on phenological events (flowering and harvest date), growth, yield, fruit quality and mortality of peach (P. persica L.) scions of cv. ‘Redhaven’. At the end of flowering, there were no significant differences between the different rootstocks in the years 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004. In 2001, trees grafted on P. pumila reached the end of flowering 2 d before trees grafted on the other rootstocks. ‘Redhaven’ fruits ripened on the same day on trees grafted on the different rootstocks. The differences were only between years. The results showed that significantly less vigorous trees, according to their trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA) and canopy volume, with the lowest yield, were observed on P. pumila rootstock. The rootstock P. pumila had a significant negative influence on fruit dimensions and mortality was 50%. Trees grafted on ‘GF 655/2’ rootstock produced significantly lower yields than those grafted on ‘GF 677’ or ‘Missour’ rootstocks. Only the ‘GF 655/2’ rootstock had root suckers. Trees grafted on ‘GF 677’ rootstock were significantly more vigorous than on the other rootstocks, and produced the highest yield with good fruit quality. The final canopy volumes of peach trees grafted on the different rootstocks were very different. The most vigorous trees were those grafted on ‘GF 677’ rootstock, where the final tree volume was 12.8 m³. Trees grafted on P. pumila and ‘GF 655/2’ had significantly lower TCSA values than on the other rootstocks.     

A pear rootstock trial in Israel

The pear cultivars ‘Spadona Estiva’, ‘Coscia’, ‘Beurré Superfin’ and a ‘Bartlett’ clone of South African origin (termed ‘Bartlett Sport’) were tested on 5 quince rootstock types, 5 Pyrus species and on 5 or 30 cm long interstocks of the pear cultivars ‘Bergamotte Esperen’ and ‘Spadona Estiva’ on quince MA, while ‘Dr. Jules Guyot’ was used as an interstock on ‘Bartlett’ seedlings.At the age of 10 years only ‘Spadona Estiva’ showed no signs of decline on quince rootstocks, ‘Coscia’ showed moderate decline, while the remaining cultivars had already declined severely. When the trunk circumference of ‘Beurré Superfin’ trees on the various quince clones was taken as an indicator for the degree of graft incompatibility, a negative correlation was found between this parameter and cyanogenic glycoside content in the stem bark of ungrafted quince plants belonging to the same clones. Pear interstocks on quince MA rootstocks did in some cases increase crops compared to the same quince alone, but did not prevent the decline of ‘Beurré Superfin’ and Bartlett Sport' on quince.The most vigorous and most prolific rootstock was Pyrus betulaefolia. However, with ‘Spadona Estiva’ differences in vigor between the rootstocks were only small and crops on the Israeli quince CI 7 were similar to those on Pyrus betulaefolia, but fruit size was larger on quince. Cropping of this cultivar at the age of 4 years was closely related to the intensity of flowering, whereas with ‘Coscia’ this relation was much less evident.Leaf fall in autumn and the opening of the vegetative buds of ‘Beurré Superfin’ in spring were earlier on quince than on Pyrus rootstocks.     

Soil and rootstock influence on fruit quality of plums (Prunus domestica L.)

Soil and rootstock can particularly affect the ‘Rainha Claudia Verde’ (Prunus domestica) fruit quality, mainly its firmness characteristics. To investigate the variation in fruit quality, plums were harvested at commercial maturity from trees grafted on Marianna GF8-1 (Prunus cerasifera × munsoniana) and Marianna GF10-2 (P. cerasifera × munsoniana) rootstocks on two different soils: Haplic Luvisol and Vertic Luvisol. After harvest fruits were stored at 2 °C for 3 weeks. At the harvest day a small group of fruits were analysed without cold storage. During storage fruits were tested for firmness, soluble solids content, titratable acidity and fruit mineral content. Tree vigour was evaluated from trunk cross-sectional areas values.The GF8-1 rootstock promoted the highest vegetative development, comparing to GF10-2. This rootstock promoted the largest fruits size and the higher calcium fruit level. Positive correlations were found between higher concentrations of calcium in the pulp fruits and firmness. Fruits from two different rootstocks showed the same firmness at harvest but during cold storage, fruits from GF10-2 rootstock exhibited the highest firmness pulp values. There weren’t significant differences in fruit nitrogen and potassium levels for any studied factor.At harvest solids soluble content and solids soluble content/titratable acidity ratio weren’t affected by soil type or rootstock. As expected, solids soluble content during cold storage increased and solids soluble content/titratable acidity had a slight increase.GF10-2 revealed to be a good option as a ‘Rainha Claudia Verde’ rootstock for plums growers due to its intermediate-vigour. Also GF10-2 fruits presented better quality during storage comparing with GF8-1.     

Screening wild Eriobotrya species as rootstocks for loquat

Summary

Six wild species of Eriobotrya were evaluated as rootstocks for domesticated loquat. Twelve-month-old seedlings of Oak leaf loquat (an Oak Leaf loquat ‘Zaozhong No. 6’ hybrid) and wild Fragrant loquat (E. fragrans Champ) had higher root-to-shoot fresh weight (FW) ratios than other wild species. When the domesticated loquat, ‘Zaozhong No. 6’, was grafted onto seedlings of six different wild loquat species, differences in compatibility were observed. Graft compatibility was lower for all combinations compared to ‘Zaozhong No. 6’ grafted onto domesticated loquat seedlings. When wild Henry loquat was used as a rootstock, delayed incompatibility was observed. Differences in soluble sugar contents (SSC) between scion and rootstock were observed, and there was a significant negative correlation between graft compatibility and the difference in SSC values. The influence of the rootstock on anatomical changes at the graft union were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Wild rootstocks also influenced scion growth, fruit bearing, and fruit quality. Graft combinations which used wild Fragrant loquat as the rootstock had increased cold tolerance and improved scion growth. Wild Fragrant loquat therefore appears to have value as a rootstock for domesticated loquat.     

不同柑橘砧木对锦橙果实品质的影响

 2006—2008年连续3年研究11种砧木对铜水72-1锦橙果实品质的影响。结果表明：不同砧木对果实颜色和内在品质均有影响,其中以卡里佐枳橙为砧的果实亮度最好,黄色度值最高,果实最大,果皮最薄;以路比枳为砧的果实红色度值和固酸比（TSS/TA）最高,果皮最厚;以沃尔卡姆为砧的亮度最差,黄色度值、单果质量和可食率最低,中心柱最小;以C35枳橙为砧的中心柱最大且维生素C含量最低;以光皮酸橙为砧的果实红色度最低而可食率最高;以里其16-6枳为砧的果实可溶性固形物（TSS）含量最高;以孙楚沙橘为砧的果实可滴定酸（TA）和维生素C含量最高,而TSS/TA最低;果实TSS和TA最低的砧木为枸头橙。品质综合评价,性状表现较好的为孙楚沙橘、卡里佐枳橙和C35枳橙,而表现较差的为兰普莱檬和沃尔卡姆柠檬。     

Einfluss schwach wachsender Apfelunterlagen auf Wachstum,Ertrag und Fruchtgröße verschiedener Sorten – Teil IV: Abschließende Bewertung

From 2001 to 2005 the influence of the dwarfed apple rootstocks M?9 (clone: Burgmer 984), Fleuren 56, Supporter 1, P?16, P?22, J-TE-F, J-TE-E and M?27 on growth, yield and fruit size of the apple varieties ‘Elstar, Elshof’, ‘Boskoop, Herr’ and ‘Jonagored’ was investigated on the locations Auweiler, Dresden-Pillnitz, Osnabrück and Wurzen in Germany.All rootstocks induced a less vegetative growth as the rootstock M?9. In comparison with M?9 the crown volume of the trees ranged from 92% (Supporter 1) to 52% (M?27). The highest yield potential showed the rootstock P?16. Her specific yield (kg/m³) was 17% higher than the specific yield of M?9. All rootstocks produced a lower individual fruit size as M?9. J-TE-E and J-TE-F produced the lowest specific yield.     

Einfluss von Unterlagen im Vergleich zu selbstbewurzelten Birnenbäumen auf vegetative und generative Parameter unter biologischen Anbaubedingungen in Ostösterreich

In spring 2006, in the research center of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, the pear cultivars ‘Bosc’s’, ‘Williams’ Christ’ and ‘Uta’ were planted on the rootstocks Kirchensaller Mostbirne (Seedling), Pyrodwarf, Farold 69, Quince Adams (with intercropping ‘Conference’) and own-rooted from in vitro culture, trained as spindles and tested for eight years under organic production rules. The own-rooted ‘Williams’- and ‘Bosc’s’-trees had many tree losses in the first year, they grew medium and started with fruiting later than the grafted trees. The trees on rootstock Quince Adams were growing very weakly in the high lime containing soil at the site, with the consequence of chlorosis, tree losses and small fruits, but also a higher brix-, vitamin C- and apple acid-content in the fruits. ‘Bosc’s’ showed low yields on all rootstocks in the observing period. ‘Williams’ on Farold 69 and Seedling had good yield and fruit quality, while the weakly growing cultivar ‘Uta’ showed low tree losses and high yields on Seedling. Pyrodwarf had very few tree losses and was similar in growth and yield compared to Farold 69 and Seedling, however the fruits of ‘Williams’ and ‘Bosc’s’ were smaller.     

日光温室西瓜嫁接砧木筛选试验

为了筛选出适合内蒙古地区温室西瓜嫁接栽培的优良砧木,以西瓜品种‘国豫2号’为接穗,与引进的7个南瓜砧木品种进行了嫁接试验,试验对不同砧木嫁接西瓜与自根苗西瓜的嫁接成活率、田间生长表现、果实性状及产量等进行了比较分析。结果表明:‘铁木真’、‘京欣砧3号’、‘正大亲兄弟’作砧木的嫁接西瓜苗综合性状较好,表现为嫁接成活率达到了95%以上,亲和力好,定植后生长势较强,抗病性强,667 m2产量达到3 500 kg,对果实品质基本无影响,适宜作为当地日光温室西瓜嫁接栽培的砧木。     

砧木对葡萄树体生长和内源激素的影响

以5种砧木分别嫁接‘瑞都红玉’和‘瑞都香玉’葡萄为试验材料,以接穗自根苗为对照,比较不同砧穗组合的树体生长特性、品质特性和内源激素动态变化规律,为葡萄适宜砧穗组合的筛选提供理论基础和参考依据。结果表明（1）以SO4、5BB和110R为砧木的接穗品种生长量大于以3309M和1103P为砧木的,但是110R小脚现象严重。（2）以SO4和5BB为砧木提高了‘瑞都香玉’的果实成熟度,5种砧木均显著提高了‘瑞都红玉’的可滴定酸含量,降低了固酸比,提高了‘瑞都红玉’的口感酸甜平衡性。（3）新梢生长期和转色期是促生长类激素分泌的高峰期,以110R和SO4为砧木的组合叶片和新梢中激素含量水平较高,以5BB为砧木的组合新梢中含量较高,且其叶片和新梢的ZR/GA3在新梢生长期处于高水平。‘瑞都红玉’/SO4在新梢生长期的ABA含量最低,与其长势强相吻合。以SO4为砧木的组合ABA含量从转色期到果实成熟期不升反降,有利于新梢的二次生长。110R、SO4和5BB组合的ZR/GA3在新梢生长期和转色期高于3309M和1103P组合,ABA/ZR + IAA + GA3低于3309M和1103P组合。研究结果表明,冬葡萄和河岸葡萄的后代SO4和5BB砧木的嫁接亲和力强,其接穗在新梢生长期和转色期促生长类激素水平相对高,嫁接植株生长旺盛,果实品质优良。     

不同砧木品种对黄瓜蜡质性状及产量的影响

为筛选适宜栽培的黄瓜嫁接砧木,以自根苗为对照,在日光温室条件下评价了6个砧木品种对越冬茬黄瓜果皮蜡质及产量的影响。结果显示Z3、Z4砧木嫁接苗的果实上完全没有蜡质,果皮鲜艳亮绿,有油漆光感,蜡质果率和蜡质果指数均为0.0%,果实外观品质得到有效改善;Z4的667 m2总产量是自根苗的3.17倍,显著高于自根苗与其他品种;Z3的667 m2总产量是自根苗的2.79倍。综合评价来看,Z4最好,为无蜡质和高产的优良砧木,其次为Z3,其均可在生产上应用。     

Influence of rootstock on vegetative growth,fruit yield and quality in ‘Cuore di Bue’, an heirloom tomato

Summary

Heirloom tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) such as ‘Cuore di Bue’ are highly appreciated by consumers for their outstanding quality and flavour. Nowadays, they are often grafted onto vigorous rootstocks in order to overcome several soil-borne diseases. The present study was conducted in 2007 and 2008 in Southern Italy. Plants of ‘Cuore di Bue’, an heirloom ‘oxheart’ tomato, were grown in a greenhouse either as non-grafted plants, or grafted onto two inter-specific (S. lycopersicum S. habrochaites) rootstocks (‘Beaufort F₁’ and ‘Maxifort F₁’) in order to evaluate their effects on vegetative growth, marketable yield, fruit quality, and the sensory properties of ‘Cuore di Bue’ tomato fruit. Growth analysis revealed that ‘Maxifort F₁’ enhanced plant growth, particularly in terms of leaf area and leaf fresh weight. Grafted plants had higher leaf area ratios (by 13%) and higher leaf dry weight fractions (by 18%) compared to non-grafted ‘Cuore di Bue’ plants. Marketable yields increased by 20 – 25% in grafted plants in both years. However, total soluble solids (TSS) contents, titratable acidity (TA), and TSS/TA ratios were not significantly affected by grafting.Vitamin C contents decreased by 14 – 20% in both years in the fruit of plants grafted onto either rootstock. The sensory profiles of fruit were not modified by grafting, although taste panelists expressed a higher preference for purchasing fruit from plants grafted onto ‘Maxifort F₁’. These results confirm that, when using the appropriate rootstock/scion combination, grafting can improve plant growth and the marketable yield of heirloom tomato fruit without reducing the sensory quality of the fruit or its biochemical parameters. However, grafting can reduce vitamin C contents and, thus, nutritional quality.     

早熟桃新品种‘美瑞’

‘美瑞’是从引自美国的桃品系‘美P3’的自然实生后代中选出的早熟新品种。花蔷薇形,花粉多。果实近圆形,平均单果质量203 g,大果297 g;果面深红色;果肉淡绿至黄白色,硬溶质,硬度高,风味甜,可溶性固形物含量12.1%。粘核。果实发育期89 d。产量较高,盛果期30 t ? hm-2以上。     

Determination of Graft Compatibility of Pear Cultivars Grafted on Different Rootstocks by Carbohydrate Analyses

In modern pear cultivation, clonal quince and pear rootstocks are preferred because they are easy to maintain and harvest. Also, they form dwarf plants and improve fruit quality compared to pear seedling rootstocks. However, graft incompatibility can be involved between different species or genera. The aim of the study was to determine the graft compatibility of the ‘Deveci’ and ‘Williams’ pear cultivars with different pear and quince rootstocks by carbohydrate analysis. Carbohydrate accumulation in the graft union was also observed with iodized potassium iodide (KI) staining. In terms of rootstocks, there were no differences in starch and carbohydrate content, but statistically differences were found in sugar contents. Significant differences were also found between cultivars and graft union in terms of the examined traits. Sugar content was highest in OHxF 333 and lowest in seedling rootstocks. There were no statistical differences in the starch content between the graft unions of the ‘Deveci’ cultivar, while starch accumulation was higher above the graft union than below and graft union in the ‘Williams’ cultivar grafted on the quince rootstock. In the study, it was determined that there were higher carbohydrate accumulation in the scion and graft union than below the graft union in ‘Williams’ grafted quince rootstocks, which was also confirmed by staining with KI. As a result of the study, it was concluded that carbohydrate accumulation analysis can be used to determine the graft compatibility of the pear cultivars with the different quince and pear rootstocks.

     

Ergebnisse des Naumburg-Pillnitzer Birnenunterlagenzuchtprogrammes

The aims of the German pear rootstock breeding programme were to improve the propagation ability, dwarfism, resistance to biotic and abiotic damage, sufficient anchorage, positive influence on yield and fruit quality of the cultivars, and free of suckers and burr knots. Results were collected from long-term randomised trials and from field tests in farms under different production conditions. Approximately 6000 seedlings of cross combinations between different wild species and wild species with known pear cultivars were grown. Finally, seven clones were selected (Pi-BU 1 to 7). The new Pillnitz pear rootstocks are moderately to easily propagated in stoolbeds, are more frost resistant against winter frost than quince rootstocks, and the growing capacity is intermediate between quince and seedling. The rootstocks are easy to propagate from green cuttings and in vitro. Pomological testing with ‘Clapps Favourite’ was done under a minimal pruning regime to evaluate the cropping potential. Compatibility with several cultivars was satisfactory. Promising clones were quickly multiplied using in vitro propagation for test plants. The original propagation material for multiplication at nurseries was never multiplied in vitro. More results are needed. To achieve this a trial commenced in Germany in 2002 to test the new pear rootstocks Pi-BU 2 and Pi-BU 3 together with the new rootstocks Pyrodwarf from Germany, S 1 from Poland, and Fox 11 from Italy using three cultivars at nine sites.     

The King Fruit versus Lateral Fruit Thinning Effects on Yield and Fruit Quality in Apple

ABSTRACT

This research was conducted to determine the king versus lateral fruit thinning effects on yield and fruit quality of ‘Elstar’, ‘Granny Smith’, ‘Starkrimson Delicious’, ‘Ultra Red’, ‘Topred’, and ‘Jonagold’ apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cultivars grafted on MM106 rootstock in 2002-2003. Removal of the king fruit (KFR) treatment partially increased the yield in ‘Jonagold’, ‘Elstar’, and ‘Granny Smith’ cultivars while the effects were different by years in “Starkrimson Delicious”. Leaving of the king fruit (KFL) treatment gave better results in the ‘Topred’ cultivar, and similar effects were obtained from both treatments in ‘Ultra Red’ cultivar. Non-significant differences were obtained from both treatments with respect to fruit weight in the ‘Topred’, ‘Starkrimson Delicious’, ‘Jonagold’ and ‘Granny Smith’ cultivars. Leaving of the king fruit treatment increased the fruit weight significantly in ‘Elstar’ and ‘Ultra Red’ cultivars in 2002. The values of fruit flesh firmness (lb), total soluble solids content (%), pH, titratable acidity (%), total and invert sugar quantity (g/100 g^?1) were not found to be significantly different between the treatments with a few exceptions. The ‘KFR’ treatment that removed the dominant effect of the king fruit can be recommended for the ‘Elstar’ and ‘Jonagold’ cultivars because this treatment increased the yield and did not decreased the fruit weight significantly in these cultivars except for ‘Elstar’ in 2002. On the other hand ‘KFL’ treatment can be recommended for the ‘Granny Smith’, Topred’ and ‘Ultra Red’ cultivars. Although this treatment decreased the yield of ‘Granny Smith’ it increased the mean fruit weight 45.6-62.7 g in the two experiment years. ‘Starkrimson Delicious’ did not show clear response to the treatments.     

Growth,yield and fruit quality of ‘Van’ and ‘Stark Hardy Giant’ sweet cherry cultivars as influenced by grafting on different rootstocks

The influence of Adara, CAB 6P, Gisela 5, MaxMa 14, Saint Lucie GF 64 (SL 64), Saint Lucie GF 405 (SL 405), and Tabel rootstocks onto vegetative growth, yield and fruit quality of ‘Van’ and ‘Stark Hardy Giant’ (SHG) sweet cherry cultivars was studied during 10 years after grafting. The experiment was performed in the Ebro Valley (Zaragoza, Spain), on a heavy and calcareous soil. Significant differences in some of these parameters such as vigour, yield, fruit size, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), skin colour and fruit firmness were examined among rootstocks. In general, the highest vigour, annual and cumulative yield were induced by Adara rootstock, whereas Gisela 5 induced the lowest when grafted with both cultivars. The highest yield efficiency was induced by Gisela 5 due to its low trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), together with Adara, CAB 6P and Tabel for ‘SHG’ cultivar. Regarding fruit quality, Adara, CAB 6P and MaxMa 14 showed, in general, the highest fruit weight and the more attractive skin colour for both sweet cherry cultivars. Furthermore, the high yield shown by Adara did not significantly affect its fruit size. Cherries of trees grafted on Adara also showed high firmness, which implies a better resistance to post-harvest damage. CAB 6P showed a tendency to induce higher TA. Despite the higher firmness of fruits on Gisela 5 and its tendency to induce higher SSC and ripening index, the smaller size fruits together with the less attractive skin colour resulted in a non-interesting rootstock in terms of fruit quality for our growing conditions. Interesting correlations were found among quality parameters, such as the positive correlation showed by SSC with fruit weight and TA. The work demonstrates that the scion–rootstock combination influences some important sweet cherry attributes such as vigour, yield, fruit size, acidity, skin colour and firmness.     

The relative effects of rootstocks and calcium sprays on the appearance of internal breakdown and superficial scald of ‘Red Delicious’ apples during storage

The 2-year investigation involved storing fruit samples from each tree in a trial of 8 rootstocks with the locally selected ‘Lalla Red Delicious’ to see how the storage characteristics were modified by rootstock and/or calcium sprays.The 6 spray applications of calcium made a significant reduction in the incidence of internal breakdown in both years, although the magnitude of the response varied from rootstock to rootstock in 1976. There were no significant rootstock effects in 1975, and in 1976 they were eliminated where calcium sprays were used. In the absence of calcium sprays in 1976, apples from ‘M. 16’ produced significantly more internal breakdown than those from any of the other stocks, with ‘MM. 107’ producing the second highest level. At the other end of the scale, apples from ‘MM. 110’ had the lowest incidence, closely followed by ‘M. 1.’ The remaining 4 stocks (‘11 immune’, ‘M.13’, ‘M.25’ and ‘Seedling’) gave intermediate readings and were not significantly different from each other.The calcium spray treatments also significantly reduced the incidence of superficial scald with all rootstocks. The main rootstock effect observed was that apples from ‘MM. 110’ and ‘M. 1’ had significantly less scald than from 5 of the other 6 rootstocks.