Studies on the suitability of myrobalan (p. cerasifera ehrh.) as seedling rootstocks for plum trees in bursa region

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the rootstock characteristics of wild P. cerasifera Ehrh. (Myrobalan) plum trees which widely grown in Turkey as rootstock. Researches were conducted at the laboratories and field facilities of Yalova Atatürk Horticultural Research Institute during the years 1995 and 2000. The best stratified period of seeds for high germination percentage of the types was 120 days at + 5oC. The germination rate of 34 types out of 103 Myrobalan types tested was above 60 %. Germinated seeds were transferred directly to budding plots in the field. The following parameters were considered for evaluation; value of length and diameter of seedlings, bud take percentage, shoot growth as length and diameter, the uniformity length and diameter for seedlings and shoots grown from buds by coefficient of variation (CV), root growth and visual observation on nursery trees. The results were evaluated by Weighted Rankid method. Number of the E-38 type was the best one with the score of 885 E-95, E-26, E-84 and E-11 types also have been selected by their rootstocks partiality having high scores.