Innovative Rootstocks for Apple crop Nicola Dallabetta nicola.dallabetta@fmach.it FEM (Italy) Australia 20-24 November 2017
Fruit production in Trentino 6206 km 2 ; ASU 141129,5 ha; 80% Mountains, Apple: 11.000 Ha 460.000 tons (25% of Italy) 77-900 m a.s.l. Other crops : 2. Grape 125.000 tons 3. Soft fruits 6700 tons 4. Strawberry 4700 tons 5. Cherry 1700 tons 6. Olive 1600 tons 7. Kiwi 1200 tons 8. Plums 1200 tons 9. Pear 200 tons
TIME LINE FEM Administration office & Farm (100 ha) Agricultural school Research center 3A Center BSc on Oenology Transfer Technology center Research & Extension activities 1995 2008 2017 Training Systems, Tree density, Pruning Methods, Orchard Management, Fruit Production & Quality Rootstocks Cornell University Nursery Companies EUFRIN working group
Experimental sites Maso Maiano - 1.7 ha (Non Valley, 650 m a.s.l.) Maso delle Parti - 10 Ha (Adige Valley, 210 m a.s.l) Spagolle 10 Ha (Valsugana, 400 m a.s.l.) Laimburg Research Institute, International groups (EUFRIN) Private orchards.
Layout of experimental fields Map 2015 MASO delle PART N Cultural tech. 6 B A 5 U A M L G 3 F H E D C B A I I 2 P A B 10 D H D E G L M N B F C C E C H I D F N O P Q R S T G B-C 13 12 H C B A D L I E G F C LM H I A F G F N M 15 B O 1 A 4 9 A D 4 D A N B A E Q POM B C D E N O E 14 A B A CD B 11 I 16 B 8 L I Training systems Rootstocks Varieties Resitstants varieties Cherry Crab Apple collection H C G F N M Pear L M A N B A H F B 7 A L C G 7 D 7 H I S T R A D A P R O V I N C I A L E B C A I D E G G NORD H 4 4 F F E D G B C H E A A H A A A D E F B D E C B G 3 3 5 A B C C G E H H N L D M I F A C D BB 1 22 Map 2015 MASO MAIANO Cultural tech. Training systems Rootstocks Varieties Resistants varieties
Apple rootstock breeding program (1970s-80s) Quebec Vineland Michigan Geneva Malling Sweden & Norway Russia Poland Germany Israel Czech Japan
Apple rootstock breeding program (2005) Malling Russia Japan Geneva S.Korea China New Zealand
Rootstock interaction Climate Cultivar Diseases and Pest Tree size Orchard Management: (tree architecture, pruning, thinning, fertilization, irrigation, weed control.) Soil (ph, type, anchorage, water, nutrients )
Which is the ideal genotype? Dwarf and/or Semi-dwarf Precocious & productive That induces the development of early branches with wide branch angle With good root system Adaptable to different soil types Resistant and/or Tolerant to: Abiotic & Biotic stresses
FEM objectives? Disease resistance: Apple Replant Disease (ARD) Apple Dieback Apple proliferation Fire Blight Crown and root rots (Phytophthora ssp) Pest resistance: Woolly Apple Aphids Resistance to environment stresses: Cold hardiness Drought Adaptable to Different environment Cultivars Training systems Tree densities Tree size: Dwarf - Similar to M9 for HDP Semi dwarf - for Multi Leader Systems (MLS)
Main issues for pest and disease Apple Proliferation Canditus Phytoplasma mali Woolly Apple Aphids Eriosoma lanigerum Fire Blight Erwinia amylovora
Apple Replant disease (ARD) 170 cm 1 st generation 2 nd generation 3 rd generation M9 Red Delicious Superchief Sandidge on M9 T337 at the 3 rd leaf The present! Use of M9 (99%) High Density Planting(HDP) systems (3000-6000 trees/ha) Low biodiversity
Recent problems tied to soil fertility Apple Tree Dieback White Root Rot (Rosellinia necatrix)
Type of tree Ratio canopy/root system > 1; Feathered trees ready to produce in the 2 nd leaf; Need fruiting branch selection at planting to reduce AGB. Need a better balance: agb/bgb. above ground biomass (agb) below ground biomass (bgb) AGB/bgb
What growers do?
New rootstock genotypes
Rootstocks in trial at FEM NL UK France Germany Poland Czech Russia USA Geneva NZ Italy M9 T337 M9 EMLA Pajam 1 Lancep M26 Pajam 2 Cepiland Supporter1 (Pi-Au-33) Supporter3 (Pi-Au9-82) M27 Supporter4 (Pi80) Lizzy P16 Last Minute P22 J-TE- E J-TE- F Budagovsky Bud 9 B10/Mitch N 62396 G11 Selection 1 CIV-P21 (CIV) G16 Selection 2 Apomictic x M9 (FEM) P14 J-TE- G B496 G41 Selection 3 MM106 Jork 9 P59 J-OH- A G202 Selection 4 M116 P60 G935 Selection 5 AR 295 6 P67 G6969 Selection 6 AR 680 2 CG2034 AR 486 1 CG3001 AR 628 2 CG4218 AR 835 11
EUFRIN Working Group Apple & Pear Variety & Rootstock Testing
Trial 2011-2015: Rootstock / cv / environment ISHS XI International Symposium on Integrating Canopy, Rootstock and Environmental Physiology in Orchard Systems, Bologna (Italy) 28 August-2 September 2016
Fruit weight vs Fruit number/tree
Suckers & Burr knots
3 treatments: Replanted Fumigated soil Free orchard soil FOS (4 years) Rootstocks: M9 T337 CG 41 CG 16 CG 202 CIV P21 Trial 2011-15: ARD ISHS XI International Symposium on Integrating Canopy, Rootstock and Environmental Physiology in Orchard Systems, Bologna (Italy) 28 August-2 September 2016
Effect of the different soil conditions on Tree size ISHS XI International Symposium on Integrating Canopy, Rootstock and Environmental Physiology in Orchard Systems, Bologna (Italy) 28 August-2 September 2016
Tree size Yield Efficiency
Training Systems & Tree density Cultivars New genotypes
Research of semi-dwarf rootstocks M9 T337 Pajam 2 G 11 G 16 AR 295.6 M26 M106 Pi80 CIV-P21 G 202 M116 G 935 G 6969 G 4218
Trial 2011 M9 T337 G11 G16 G202
Trial 2012 M9 T337 Ar 295.6 M9 T337 M 116
2 nd leaf New genotypes in 2014 M9 T337 CG 935 CG 6969 Higher Vigor
G935 3 nd leaf G6969
3rd leaf
Research of dwarf rootstocks M9 T337 Jork 9 Supporter 1 Supporter 3 Bud9 Lizzy P16 Bud491 M27 P22 J-TE-G
M9 T337 Budagovsky 9 (B9) B491
M9 T337 P16 P22
Suckers & Burr knots
In conclusion M9 is still the most used and productive rootstock in the fruit orchards! G11 and G41 could be a good alternative to M9. G41 is difficult to propagate in the nursery and it is still not available in Europe! G11 Yes! G16 is productive similar to M9 but sensitive to latent viruses! Bud9 represents a good alternative to M9 for vigorous cv such as Fuji. AR 295.6, G935 and G6969 are precocious and productive. They could be suitable for weak soils and/or weak-growing scions! G11, G935 and G6969 produce large fruit size. This might be likely due to their higher capacity of water and nutrient uptake. The use of alternative genotype could improve water consumption efficiency and fertilizer applications. The introduction of new genotypes requires a change in tree management system (pruning, irrigation, fertilization ). Nowadays, new training systems and cultivars have been proposed in modern apple orchards and the choice of rootstock will play an important role. Thank you for your attention