Effects of Seedling and GF-31 Rootstocks on Yield and Fruit Quality of Some Table Apricot Cultivars Grown in Mersin

Authors: LEVENT SON, ALİ KÜDEN

Abstract: This experiment was conducted in Mut-Mersin between 1997 and 2001 to determine the effects of seedling and GF-31 rootstocks on the yield and quality of fruits of Tokaloğlu, Precoce De Tyrinthe, Joubert Foulon, Canino, Sakıt 6, Beliana, Priana and Early Kishnevski table apricot cultivars. Fruit yields were highest on apricot seedling rootstocks for all cultivars. Yields (kg tree^{-1}) ranged between 14.66 kg (Tokaloğlu) and 63.06 kg (Priana) on apricot seedling rootstocks and between 13.6 kg (Sakıt 6) and 41.13 kg (Priana) on Myrobalan GF-31 rootstock in 2001. Of the cultivars tested, Priana gave the highest yield (kg tree^{-1}), except in the 1997 trial year, followed by the Precoce De Tyrinthe cultivar. In addition Priana and Precoce De Tyrinthe were superior from the point of view of yield of g cm^{-2} to the others on apricot seedling rootstocks. However, the yield of g cm^{-2} ranged from 79.89 g (Joubert Foulon) to 134.5 g (Early Kishnevski) on GF-31 rootstock in 1997. In 2001, however, Priana and Precoce De Tyrinthe on GF-31 were the most productive in terms of g cm^{-2} yield. Early Kishnevski cultivars gave the largest fruits on both rootstocks, whereas the smallest fruits were obtained from the Beliana cultivar. Fruit weight was greater on seedling than GF-31. Fruit weight ranged from 31.92 g (Beliana) to 56.48 g (Early Kishnevski) fruit^{-1} on seedling rootstocks in 2001. Priana was the most productive and the earliest cultivar on both rootstocks. From the results of this research the following conclusions were drawn: 1) Cultivars grafted on the seedling rootstock presented greater yields kg tree^{-1} and g cm^{-2} than on GF-31, 2) Dates of full blooming and maturation were earlier on grafted seedling rootstocks than those on GF-31. Advanced full blooming dates resulted in early fruit maturation times, 3) In terms of fruit weights seedling rootstocks were more effective than GF-31, 4) It is clear from this work that apricot seedling rootstocks should be used in the Mut region because of the higher fruit yield and fruit quality characteristics and precocity.

Keywords: Apricot, rootstock, yield, quality, earliness

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