New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) growth is mostly affected by rootstock
and much less by budding height
A. Santos
Departamento de Fitotecnia
Cecea Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro
Ap. 1013, 5001-911
Vila Real, Portugal
email: asantos@utad.pt
R. Ribeiro
Departamento de Fitotecnia
Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro
Ap. 1013, 5001-911
Vila Real, Portugal
A. L. Crespí
Departamento de Engenharia Biológica e Ambiental
Cetav Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro
Ap. 1013, 5001-911
Vila Real, Portugal
Abstract The effects of several rootstocks and budding
heights upon the growth of three cherry (Prunus avium) cultivars were
investigated during the first 4 years of growth. The trial was established
in 1998 in north-east Portugal using ‘Burlat’, ‘Summit’, and ‘Van’ cultivars
grafted onto Edabriz, Gisela 5, and Maxma 14 at 10, 20, and 30 cm above soil
level, and onto Cab and Prunus avium (Mazzard) at 10, 30, and 60 cm
above soil level. Total shoot length and trunk diameter were recorded at
transplantation from the nursery and at the end of the 3rd leaf stage in
the orchard. As early as at transplantation, the effects of budding height,
rootstock, rootstock ´ budding height interaction, and cultivar were
significant in the trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), being responsible for
11.6%, 9.6%, 9.3%, and 7.8% of the total variance, respectively. At the 3rd
leaf stage, 79.2% of the expected variance was attributable to rootstock,
and 4.1% to budding height. TCSAs of the trees on Edabriz, Gisela 5, Cab
11E, and Maxma 14 were, respectively, 30%, 32%, 62%, and 74% of those on
Mazzard. Increasing budding height decreased tree vigour for all the rootstocks.
In the nursery, it was already noticeable that vigour reductions between
extreme budding levels were evident, first on the rootstock Cab 11E (44%)
and then in Gisela 5 (35%), Edabriz (22%), and P. avium (20%). In
the 3rd year in the orchard, tree TCSA reduction on Edabriz and Gisela 5
was 30% and on Maxma 14 it was 15%, when comparing buddings made at 10 and
30 cm. The reduction for the trees on Cab 11E and P. avium was 24%,
when comparing buddings made at 10 and 60 cm. In our trial conditions the
rootstock was the main influencing factor on plant growth and budding height
was revealed to be the second most determinant factor on tree growth, irrespective
of rootstock vigour. Consequently, budding height, although not so decisive
in dwarfing as with apple and pear trees, can contribute to cherry tree growth
and can also control and help to manage canopy size and crop rentability.
Keywords Prunus avium; interspecific hybrid rootstocks;
Gisela 5; Tabel Edabriz; Maxma 14; Cab 11E; cultivars; budding height; dwarfing;
tree size reduction
H03055; Received 28 May 2003; accepted 25 March 2004; Online publication
date 9 September 2004
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2004, Vol. 32:
309-318
0014-0671/04/3203-0309 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand
2004
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