Characteristics of Apple Rootstock |
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Information provided by Paul Domoto, Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University and Dr. Jim Cummins, Cornell University (retired). | ||||||||
Rootstock
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Size (1)
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Fruiting
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Anchorage
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Hardiness
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Soil Adaptability
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Crown Rot
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Fire Blight
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Remarks
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P.18 | +100% | Slow bearing, moderate productivity | Well anchored | Considered hardy, more testing needed | Widely adapted | Very resistant | Moderately resistant | Very little suckering, very few burrknots (2). May be susceptible to late winter freezes. |
Seedling | 100% | Slow bearing, yield variable | Well anchored | Hardy | Widely adapted | Variable | Tolerant | 65-85% size control with spur-type Red Delicious strains; some size control with other spur-type strains. Suckering may be a problem: very few burrknots (2). |
Antonovka 313 | 100% | Slow bearing, moderate productivity | Well anchored, but subject to leaning | Moderate | Widely adapted | Resistant | Moderately susceptible | Some suckering; few burrknots (2). Maybe susceptible to late winter freezes. |
M.4 | 80 - 85 % | Moderately early bearing, good productivity | Well anchored but, subject to leaning | Moderate | Widely adapted | Resistant | Tolerant | Most productive vigorous rootstock in regional testing. Moderate to heavy suckering; few burrknots (2). |
MM.111 | 80 - 85 % | Moderately slow bearing, medium prodctivity | Well anchored | Moderate | Adapted to most soils; drought tolerant, but does not tolerate wet feet | Tolerant on well drained soils | Tolerant | Tree form is more up-right. Little suckering; prone to burrknots (2). Semi-dwarf with spur-type Delicious strains. Moderately susceptible to tomato ringspot virus (3). |
MM.106 | 70 - 75 % | Early bearing, productive | Good on most soils | Very susceptible early, hardy late winter | Beast in loam and sandy loam soils. Avoid poorly drained soils | Very susceptible | Moderately susceptible | Very little suckering; prone to burrknots (2). Very susceptible to tomato virus ringspot (3). |
B.490 | 70 - 75 % | Early bearing, moderate productivity | Well anchored | Considered hardy; more testing needed | Well adapted to most soils | Moderately resistant | Tolerant | May be a replacement for MM.106. May be susceptible to late winter freezes. Almost no suckering; few burrknots (2) |
Cornell - Geneva 210 | 60 - 65 % | Early bearing, productive | Anchored questionable | Needs testing | Needs testing | Resistant | Resistant | Suckering may be a problem. May be released soon. |
M.7a, EMLA 7 | 60 - 65 % | Early bearing, moderate productivity | Free-standing but leans with some cultivars | Moderate; roots tender, snow cover for best protection | Well adapted on most soils except heavy clay | Slightly susceptible on poorly drained soils | Tolerant | Suckers heavily; somewhat prone to burrknots (2). Most widely adapted clonally propagated rootstock. |
Geneva 30 | 60 - 65 % | Earlier bearing and more productive than M.7a | Usually well anchored | Testing required | Well adapted to most soils | Tolerant | Resistant | Promising new rootstock. Much less prone to suckering than M.7a; burrknots (2) rare. Susceptible to common latent viruses (4). Available |
M.26, EMLA 26 | 55 - 60 % | Very early bearing, productive | May need support in early years | Hardiest M. or MM. series rootstock; somewhat slow to harden-off | Well drained soils | Moderately susceptible on poorly drained soils | Very susceptible | Very little suckering; very prone to burrknots (2). Susceptible to tomato ringspot virus (3). Compatibility problems have been identified with some cultivars |
Geneva 11 | 55 - 60 % | Very early bearing, very productive | May need support in early years | Testing required | Well adapted on most soils | Moderately resistant | Moderately resistant | Promising new rootstock. Little suckering; very few burrknots (2). Available |
Ottawa 3 (O.3) | 50 - 55 % | Early bearing, very productive | May need support | As hardy as M.26 | Well drained soils | Resistant on most soils | Susceptible | Roots poorly; may be a factor in orchard establishment. Moderate suckering; very few burrknots (2). Moderately susceptible to tomato ringspot virus (3) and common latent viruses (4) |
EMLA 9 | 45 - 50 % | Very early bearing, very productive | Needs support | Slightly hardier than M.7a | Well drained soils | Resistant on most soils | Very susceptible | Suckers heavily; prone to burrknots (2). |
M.9, M.9 - T337 & other M.9 Strains | 40 - 45 % | Very early bearing, very productive | Needs support | Slightly hardier than M.7a | Well drained soils | Resistant on most soils | Very susceptible | Suckers heavily; prone to burrknots (2). |
Geneva 16 | 45 - 50 % | Very early bearing, very productive | Very good, support needed for crop | Needs testing | Needs testing | Tolerant | Very resistant | Very little suckering; no burrknots (2). Very sensitive to common latent viruses (4). Available |
Mark | 35 - 45 % | Very early bearing, very productive | Roots are brittle, needs support | Hardy early, but susceptible in late winter | Best on well drained soils; drought susceptible | Resistant on most soils | Susceptible | Very prone to abnormal swelling of rootstock at ground line that stunts the tree. Moderate suckering; prone to burrknots (2). Moderately susceptible to tomato ringspot virus (3) |
Bud. 9 (B.9) | 35 - 40 % | Very early bearing, very productive | Needs support | Hardier thaan M.9 | Well drained soils, does not tolerate wet soils | Very resistant | Susceptible | Promising new rootstock. Some suckering; very few burrknots (2). Drought susceptible. Susceptible to tomato ringspot virus (3). ISU observations suggest it is very susceptible to voles. |
Geneva 65 | 35 - 40 % | Very early bearing, very productive. Fruit size reduced. | Well anchored, support needed for crop | Hardy | Needs testing | Resistant | Very resistant | Promising new rootstock. Some suckering; nearly no burrknots (2). Susceptible to apple stem grooving virus (4). Available. |
P.2 | 35 - 40 % | Very early bearing, very productive | Needs support | Needs further testing | Well drained soils | Resistant | Moderately susceptible | Very little suckering; few burrknots (2). Susceptible to tomato ringspot virus (3). |
M.27, EMLA 27 | 25 - 30 % | Very early bearing, very productive. Fruit size reduced | Needs support | Slow to harden-off | Well drained soils | Resistant on most soils | Susceptible | Too dwarfing for standard orchards; has potential for vigorous cultivars in very high density plantings. Almost no suckering or burrknots (2). Susceptible to tomato ringspot virus (3). |
P.22 | 25 - 30% | Very early bearing, productive | Needs support | Needs further testing | Well drained soils | Resistant | Moderately susceptible | Too dwarfing for standard orchards; has potential as a rootstock for vigorous cultivars in a very high density planting. Very little suckering; very few burrknots (2) |
Interstem/ Rootstock | ||||||||
M.27, M.9/ MM.106 | 50 - 60 % (5) | Early bearing, productive | Good in most soils; may need support on light soils or when the interstem-rootstock graft union is above ground | Slightly hardier with interstem-rootstock graft union is below ground | Well drained soils; better adapted with interstem-rootstock graft union below ground | Most tolerant with interstem-rootstock graft union below ground | Susceptible as M.27 or M.9 | Suckering is a problem; can be reduced by planting interstem-rootstock graft union below ground. Additional cost |
M.27, M.9/ MM.111 | 50 - 60 % (5) | Early bearing, productive | Good in most soils; may need support on light soils or when the interstem-rootstock graft union is above ground | Moderate | Widely adapted to most soils | Tolerant on most soils | Susceptible as M.27 or M.9 | Suckering is a problem; can be reduced by planting interstem-rootstock graft union below ground. Additional cost |
(1) Size control as a percentage of the size of a cultivar on a seedling rootstock. Remember that the vigor of the scion cultivar also influences the ultimate size of the tree on any rootstock. | ||||||||
(2) Burrknots are above ground root primordia that form under shaded conditions (either from a truck wrap or excessive suckering). They are very sensitive to winter injury, and a potential point of entry for fire blight bacteria. | ||||||||
(3) Tomato ringspot virus is a nematode-transmitted virus that can include Apple Union Necrosis and Decline disease when a sensitive cultivar is propagated on a sensitive rootstock. It has not yet been found in Iowa, but as a precaution, purchase virus-free trees. If the disease is ever found in your orchard, avoid combination of a sensitive cultivar propagated on a sensitive rootstock. Cultivars sensitive to tomato ringspot virus include: Red Delicious, McIntosh, Paulared, Spartan, Tydeman's Red, and Stayman. | ||||||||
(4) Virus problems can be greatly reduced by selecting virus-free cultivars | ||||||||
(5) Used as interstems, M.27 and M.9 produce similar sized trees. With the present propagation practice of using 6- to 8-inch interstem sections, relative tree size is more dependent upon planting depth: With the interstem-rootstock graft union above the ground, tree size between M.9 and M.26; with the interstem-rootstock graft union below ground, tree size is between M.26 and M.7a and depends upon how much of the interstem is exposed. |