New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

---

Response to severe water stress of the almond (Prunus amygdalus) ‘Ferragnès’ grafted on eight rootstocks

A. Isaakidis
T. Sotiropoulos

Pomology Institute (NAGREF)
P.O. Box 122
59200 Naoussa
Macedonia, Greece
email: thosotir@alfanet.gr

D. Almaliotis

Soil Science Institute (NAGREF)
57001 Thermi-Thessaloniki, Greece

I. Therios

Department of Horticulture
Laboratory of Pomology
Aristotle University
54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

D. Stylianidis

Egnatia 5
59100 Veria, Greece

Abstract   The behaviour of almond (Prunus amygdalus) ‘Ferragnès’ grafted on eight rootstocks (GF-677, Stylianidis C., GN-15, GN-22, M-51, 3-7, 3-8, and Drepanoto), as regards certain agronomical and physiological responses, was studied under water stress conditions. From the results it is concluded that scions on GN-22 were better adapted to water stress conditions as they had higher growth, higher pre-dawn leaf water potential, and lower leaf shedding. However for some parameters measured, GN-22 was not significantly different to GN-15, GF 677, and Drepanoto. A suitable rootstock adapted to water stress may also have the characteristic for high nutrient uptake. Regarding nutrient status, under the specific experimental conditions of water stress and low fertiliser input, scions on Drepanoto maintained most nutrients in leaves in the adequate range (except nitrogen, potassium, and boron) followed by GF 677, 3-8, and M-51. Furthermore, scions on Drepanoto showed a tendency for higher uptake of manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) and therefore this rootstock is appropriate for soils with low Mn and Zn availability.

Keywords   chlorophyll; drought tolerance; leaf water potential; photosynthetic rate; water use efficiency

H03114; Online publication date 11 November 2004 Received 17 December 2003; accepted 2 August 2004
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2004, Vol. 32: 355-362
0014-0671/04/3204-0355 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2004

PDF file of entire paper: Print-quality (230K) | screen-quality (107K)

---

This year's abstracts | Journal home page | All abstracts | Publishing home page