INFLUENCE OF SOME VEGETATIVE ROOTSTOCKS ON THE GROWTH AND FRUITING ON THE ‘ROMANTA’ PLUM CULTIVAR

Abstract

The most popular rootstock in the plum orchards from Romania was ‘Myrobalan’ seedling which is very vigorous, incompatible with some cultivars, causes late bearing and intensive suckering. Recently researches were begun about the vegetative rootstocks suitability to conditions of Romania. In 2018-2022 periods the influence of four vegetative rootstocks (‘Adaptabil’, ‘Mirodad 1’, ‘Mirodad 2’ and ‘Mirobolan dwarf’) comparative with ‘Mirobalan’ seedling on growth, yield and fruits quality at ‘Romanța’ cultivar was carried out at Genetics and Breeding Department, in Research Institute for Fruit Growing Pitesti, Romania. The trees were planted in the spring of 2015 at 4 x 3 m and comprised 3 trees / 3 replications. As results of the investigations we found that: ‘Adaptabil’ and ‘Mirodad 2’ rootstocks induced a very low vigour; ‘Romanța’ cv. yielded significantly better on ‘Adaptabil’, ‘Mirobolan dwarf’ and ‘Mirodad 2’ rootstocks; the largest fruits were obtained when the cultivar was grafted on ‘Adaptabil’, ‘Mirobolan dwarf’ and ‘Mirodad 1’; the best taste was obtained in the case of the ‘Mirobolan dwarf’ and ‘Adaptabil’ rootstocks. In conclusion, it can be said that all the vegetative rootstocks studied had a better influence than the ‘Mirobalan’ seedling on the growth and fruiting of the ‘Romanța’ cv., being able to be recommended for intensive plum orchards.