COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION OF SOUR CHERRY CV.
OBLACINKA ON OWN ROOT AND GRAFTED ON PRUNUS
MAHALEB SEEDLINGS
Marjan KIPRIJANOVSKI Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food Skopje
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
Origin of sour cherry cv. oblachinska is from population of sour
cherries from Balkan Peninsula. This variety has the high economic value for the Balkan region. In Republic of Macedonia oblachinska sour cherry is unique cultivar which is cultivate in commercial
orchards. These orchards are mainly established by the trees on
own roots. Besides a lot of advantages, plants on own roots have
numerous disadvantages such as: poor development of root system, sensitivity to drought, suckering, ununiformity of the trees,
unsuitable for mechanical harvest, in dry condition suffer from
root borer (Capnodis tenebrionis).
In order to eliminate of these negative characteristics we carried
out comparative investigation of this variety planted on own roots
and grafted on Prunus mahaleb. The research was conducted in
production orchard in Tikves region (Central part of Macedonia).
Orchard has been established in 2002 and the research was conducted in 4 consecutive years (2005-2008). Two variant of grafted
trees on Prunus mahaleb has been evaluated, grafted on height of
10 and 80 cm. As a control it was used trees on own roots. During
investigation were followed: vegetative growth of the trees, yield
and fruit quality.
From the recorded dates it has been notice excellent compatibility
on oblachinska sour cherry with Prunus mahaleb rootstock. Trees
are with medium vigorousness, more tolerant to drought and attack of root borer. The high grafted trees have better developed
trunk and crown also the yield and fruit quality have been better
comparing to other variants.
INTRODUCTION
In Republic of Macedonia ‘oblacinska’ is unique sour cherry cultivar which is cultivated in commercial orchards. These orchards
are mainly established by the trees on own roots. The cultivated
population of ‘oblacinska’ is heterogeneous, with diverse biological properties. Heterogeneity of the cultivated population creates
problems in production. (Miletic et.al., 2008). Oblacinskata sour
cherry has shallow, weak root system, it is sensitive to drought and
flat-headed woodborer Capnodis tenebrionis, give a lot of suckers
Viktor GJAMOVKSI
Institute of Agriculture Skopje
[email protected]
and because of shallow root system it is unsuitable for mechanical
harvest (Ristevski et.al. 2002). Yields and success in fruit production affected by the choice of cultivars, rootstocks, improvement
of the production technology and intensification of production
objects performed through increased density of planting (Grzyb
and Gronek, 2000; Mika et al., 2000).
The growth and bearing of the sour cherry are related to the variety, rootstocks and from soil fertility (Wocior, 2008). It is commonly known that on growth and yielding of sour cherry trees
are affected by genetic factor of the variety and rootstock (Hrotko
et. al, 1996, Anderson et al., 1996). The yield, fruit weight, stone
weight and sugar content of fruit from ‘oblacinska’ sour cherry depend from rootstocks, with better results on P. mahaleb compared
to own root (Milutinovic et. al., 2008). The type of root system has
an important role in growth and productivity of sour cherry trees.
Self-rooted trees are promising as smaller as and more productive than trees grafted on Prunus avium seedlings (Jadczuk et. al.,
1998). Oblacinskata sour cherry has excellent affinity with Prunus
mahaleb (Kolekevski et. al., 2004). Klaas et.al. (2008) observed that
the trees from sour cherry originated in vitro are more vigorous
than trees grafted on P. mahaleb seedlings.
In the first year of cropping, the trees on own roots had higher
yields compared to grafted trees. Also, damages from winter frost
were more serious on grafted trees than on own rooted trees.
P. mahaleb seedling is semi vigorous rootstock with deep root system, very resistant to drought, calcareous soil, and low and height
temperature and has excellent affinity with oblacinska sour cherry. It can be grafted at the height of 10 cm (low grafting) and at the
height of 80 cm (high grafting) (Ristevski et.al. 2002). The mahaleb
seedlings used as rootstocks for cherry give good results on saline
and calcareous soil (Ribakov, 1973). According to Anderson et. al.
(1996) the smaller sour cherry trees have greater yield efficiency
compared with the trees which have greater trunk diameter. Trunk
of the oblacinska sour cherry is more sensitive to winter frosts,
bark cracking, cytospora canker, monilia, occurrence of resin, flatheaded woodborer e.g., comparing to trunk of Prunus mahaleb
seedlings. The trunk of Prunus mahaleb is very healthy, tolerant
to big temperature amplitudes, diseases and mechanicals injuries
(Ristevski et.al. 2002).
The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of the rootstock and height of grafting on vegetative growth of the trees,
productivity and fruit quality at oblachinska sour cherry grown on
the condition with sufficient of rainfalls.
MATHERIAL AND METHODS
The investigations were carried out in experimental orchard located in Negotino (central part of Republic of Macedonia). The soil in
experimental orchard is clay loamy, with high pH (7.5 in KCl), and
fertile. Some soil characteristics are shown in table 1. For establish experiment were used one year old nursery trees from oblachinska sour cherry. The experiment was conducted with trees of
oblachinska sour cherry in tree variants:
1. Trees on own roots,
2. Trees grafted on P. mahaleb seedings on height of 10 cm,
3. Trees grafted on P. mahaleb seedlings on height of 80 cm.
The trial orchard have been established in autumn of 2002 at spacing 4x2.5 m. The experiment has been arranged in randomized
block design with 3 replications using five trees per variant in replication. The experimental orchard was cultivated with standard
technology. The soil surface was managed with clean cultivation.
In summer months the orchard was irrigated with a sprinkling.
The trees in experimental orchard were trained as open vase with
more scaffold branches.
The dynamics of diameter growth of the trunk was carried out since
planting of the orchard to 2009. Each year the trunk diameter was
measured on 30 cm above ground. Dimensions of the crown were
measured at end of vegetation. Trunk cross section area (TCSA)
and tree canopy volume (TCV) were calculated from those measurements. Yield per tree was determinate on harvest time in 2006,
2007, 2008 and 2009. The fruit quality parameters were evaluated
in laboratory with standard methods. Cumulative yield for whole
period was computed. Yield efficiency was calculated as kg/cm2
TCSA and kg/m3 TCV.
Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 14.0 software. Results were expressed at the P<0.05 level of significance.
Table 1. Soil texture and fertility in the experimental orchard
Depth,
cm
CaCO3,
%
Humus,
%
pH (KCl)
0-20
21-40
41-60
1.43
0
0
2.74
2.12
1.56
6.8
6.5
5.6
N, %
0.14
0.12
0.09
Content
P2O5,
mg/100 g
47.5
36.6
302
K2O,
g/100 g
59.1
49.4
41.7
Sand, %
Silt, %
Clay, %
47.8
44.4
44.3
34.5
35.6
35.8
17.7
20.0
19.9
Own rooted tree
R
E
S
U
L
T
S
Table 2. Trunk cross section area (TCSA)
Variant
1
2
3
At planting
2.45b
2.58b
3.05a
2003
5.49a
5.75a
6.37a
Tree grafted on height
of 80 cm
Own rooted tree damaged of flat-headed
root borer
Table 3. Crown parameters at the end of 7th vegetation
2004
10.97b
12.63ab
13.77a
Year
2005
17.79b
20.18b
26.73a
2006
25.52b
28.9b
39.73a
2007
34.65b
40.21b
54.59a
2008
44.18b
51.49b
76.57a
2009
53.15b
67.83b
103.8a
Variant
1
2
3
Width (m)
2.31
2.46
2.52a
Height (m)
2.29
2.43
2.46
Values followed by the same letter in a column were not statistically different (P < 0.05).
Values followed by the same letter in a column were not statistically different (P < 0.05).
Table 4. Yield per tree, kg
Table 5. Yield efficiency (average 2008-2010)
Variant
1
2
3
Year
2006
7.50a
6.95ab
6.03b
2007
12.88b
13.63ab
14.93a
Cumulative
2008
19.53b
23.92a
26.33a
2009
19.17b
25.00a
26.17a
49.08b
69.05a
73.46a
Values followed by the same letter in a column were not statistically different (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Own rooted
Variant
1
2
3
Yield per TCSA,
kg/cm2
0.36a
0.35a
0.29b
Volume (m)
4.20b
5.16a
5.51a
Grafted on height of 10 cm
Yield per crown volume,
kg/m3
4.60a
4.84b
4.58c
Values followed by the same letter in a column were not statistically different (P < 0.05).
Grafted on height of 80 cm
The results from conducted research showed that:
1. The own rooted trees of oblachinska sour cherry are very sensitive to drought. In that condition they are attacked and destroyed from flat-headed root borer. In orchards the trees give many suckers whose removal absorbs many labor and costs.
2. The type of roots at the trees of oblachinska sour cherry has significant effect on vegetative growth, yielding and fruit quality.
3. Because of shallow root system own rooted trees are not suitable for mechanical harvest.
4. The seedlings of P. mahaleb have moderate vigor, with a strongly developed root system, very resistant to drought, winter frost, pests, and carbonates and have a great affinity with
oblachinska sour cherry.
5. The seedling of P. mahaleb can grafted with oblachinska sour cherry low on 10 cm and high on 80 cm. High grafting on P. mahaleb can be recommended for use in practice.