Impact of rootstock on fruit physical properties of 'Pink Lady' apple

Abstract

During 2018 and 2019, we evaluated the main fruit physical properties [weight (FW), length (L), diameter (D), geometric mean diameter (Dg), length/diameter ratio (L/D ratio), sphericity (ph), surface area (S), fruit volume (V) and solid density (r)] of 'Pink Lady' apple grafted on dwarf M.9 T337, semi-dwarf M.26 and semi-vigour MM.106 rootstocks. Results showed that rootstocks significantly changed the properties evaluated with the exception of L/D ratio, ph and r. Among rootstocks, M.9 T33 7 produced the best properties, whereas lower and statistically similar values were obtained from M.26 and MM.106 rootstocks. All rootstocks promoted D higher than 66 mm, whereas only M.9 T337 induced D ≥70 mm. The rootstocks did not have the capacity to change the fruit shape of the 'Pink Lady' club cultivar.

Keywords

• club cultivar
• fruit size
• fruit weight
• fruit shape indexes
• malus domestica borkh.
• rootstock