| Description |
As part of a statewide organized prune rootstock evaluation, ten marianna rootstocks (Prunus cerasifera Ehrh. x P. munsoniana) derived from open pollination of ‘Marianna 2616’(M series) were planted in 1987 and evaluated at four commercial orchard locations in California (Tehama, Butte, Sutter, and Merced counties) with ‘Improved French’ prune as the scion. These rootstocks were compared to three standard rootstocks: ‘Marianna 2624’, myrobalan seedling (P. cerasifera Ehrh.) and ‘Myrobalan 29C’. Leaf potassium (K) and nitrogen (N), tree growth, fruit production and fruit quality were measured. Selection M-40 in particular had high leaf N, high leaf K (equal to ‘Marianna 2624’ and better than the myrobalan standards), higher yield efficiency per tree, fruit size, drying characteristics, and few root suckers when compared to the three standard rootstocks. M-40 is being considered for patent and release by the Pomology Department at the University of California, Davis.
Selection M-58 had the highest yield efficiency of any tested rootstock. M-58 is high in leaf K (potassium) leaf N (nitrogen). Trunk growth in M-58 is the least vigorous out of the "M' Series of rootstocks.
M-58 controlled tree size and had the highest yield efficiency of any tested
rootstock. While these are good features for a rootstock, fruit size for M-58 tended to be among the smallest of the tested rootstocks. This rootstock might be suitable for closely planted prune orchards. |
