Agronomic and physicochemical fruit properties of ‘Big Top’ nectarine budded on peach and plum based rootstocks in Mediterranean conditions

Abstract

Agronomic and physicochemical fruit properties of 'Big Top' nectarine were evaluated in the Ebro Valley (Zaragoza, Spain), under replant and heavy-calcareous soil conditions typical of the Mediterranean area. Fruits were harvested at commercial maturity from trees budded on four peach-almond hybrids (Prunus amygdalus × Prunus persica): Adarcias, Felinem, GF 677 and Mayor; two P. persica × Prunus davidiana hybrids: Barrier and Cadaman; two hexaploid plums: Adesoto (Prunus insititia) and Tetra (Prunus domestica); and one almond-plum hybrid (Prunus cerasifera × P. amygdalus): Replantpac. Significant differences among the different rootstocks were found for most of the fruit quality traits analyzed at harvest maturity. The average of the four years of study showed that the brightest (high L* value) and most red colored skin fruits (high a* and b* values) were found on GF 677, while the lowest b* and h were recorded on Tetra and Felinem, respectively. Adesoto, GF 677 and Replantpac induced good fruit quality traits based on anthocyanins, Vitamin C, relative antioxidant capacity and/or total phenolic content (TPC). GF 677 also showed higher values on cumulative yield (CY) and yield efficiency (YE), with no significant differences with Replantpac for CY and Adesoto for YE. Barrier and Cadaman seem to delay maturity of 'Big Top' fruits based on flesh firmness (FF), titratable acidity (TA) and CIELAB parameters, and showed lower TPC and anthocyanins, which could be partly explained due to their worst adaptation to calcareous soil conditions. Results from this study underlined the important relationships between plant adaptability and fruit quality traits.

Influence of plum rootstocks on agronomic performance, leaf mineral nutrition and fruit quality of ‘Catherina’ peach cultivar in heavy-calcareous soil conditions

“…This study demonstrated that fruit quality of a given peach cultivar varies depending on the rootstock, in agreement with other Prunus rootstock studies (Orazem et al, 2011;Font i Forcada et al, 2012, 2014aReig et al, 2016). Generally, fruit weight is affected by crop load, and there is a correspondence between low yield and large fruit weight (Egea et al, 2004) and vice versa.…”

“…The rootstock influence on tree growth, survival, yield, mineral uptake and fruit quality has been evaluated in some peach cultivars under Mediterranean conditions (Felipe et al, 1997;Zarrouk et al, 2005;Pinochet, 2010;Font i Forcada et al, 2012, 2014aMestre et al, 2015;Reig et al, 2016). However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has been reported with the aim of determining the agronomic performance, leaf mineral nutrition and fruit quality properties all together of 'Catherina' budded on plum rootstocks under heavycalcareous soil conditions.…”

Using a new hybrid rootstock significantly increases the grafted plant rate and watermelon yield

“…Here, the fruits harvested from the control 'Jiashi' showed the lowest central sugar content (Table 3). Previous studies reported that grafting might have adverse effects on fruit quality, especially when different rootstocks were used (Reig et al, 2016;Trionfetti et al, 2002). On the contrary, in our study, no significant detrimental effects of grafting on fruit quality were detected in the 'WZ2' grafted plants, such as no increase of the yellowish bands in the flesh or a dramatic reduction in sugar content.…”

Estimation of genetic parameters and selection for rooting capacity in peach

“…Different studies with Prunus spp. (Forcada et al 2012, Mestre et al 2015, Reig et al 2016 revealed that the rootstock influences the agronomic performance (tree vigour, yield efficiency, water relations, leaf gas exchange, mineral nutrients uptake, plant size, bloom and harvest dates, and fruit bud survival). The rootstock choice represents one of the most important considerations for a productive peach orchard.…”