New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

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Review
Breeding rootstocks for tree fruit crops

JAMES N. CUMMINS

Department of Horticultural Sciences
New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
Cornell University
Geneva, New York 14456, United States

HERB S. ALDWINCKLE

Department of Plant Pathology
New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
Cornell University
Geneva, New York 14456, United States

Abstract  Identification of problems and prioritising breeding objectives based on those problems are essential first steps in a rootstock improvement program. For all tree fruits, incorporating resistances to critical diseases and pests will facilitate fruit production in a social environment demanding reduction in pesticide usage. Diseases caused by various Phytophthora species are important and can be catastrophic for all major tree fruit crops; breeding for resistance to Phytophthora has generally been successful. Very large initial seedling populations are required to permit suitably rigorous early screening; the breeding team should anticipate odds of 1:10⁴ to 1:10⁶ that any given seedling will be commercially successful. In preliminary orchard tests, positive selection for dwarfing and precocity induction can be made by the fifth year. More rigorous second tests should be made with a number of commercial varieties in several locations. Although almost all rootstock improvement programs now rely on conventional breeding methods, through application of genetic engineering, the Malling 26 apple (Malus domestica) rootstock has been successfully transformed from being highly susceptible to fire blight to being moderately resistant.

Keywords  rootstock breeding; apple; cherry; disease resistance; pest resistance; genetic engineering

New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 1995, Vol. 23: 395-402

0114-0671/95/2304-0395 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1995

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (600K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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