Cultivar and rootstock response to drip irrigation in sweet cherry tree vigour and start of bearing during the first three years after planting

Abstract

Fifteen sweet cherry cultivars and three rootstocks were evaluated within three years in two experimental orchards established in the same location in the autumn 2004. In one of them drip irrigation was applied in the periods of insufficient rainfall, i.e. from mid-April to mid-August. This irrigation distinctly increased the vigour of trees that was jointly expressed by trunk-cross-section area, total length of shoots and canopy volume. An increase of tree vigour was the greatest in trees on Mazzard, medium on P-HL-C and the lowest on Gisela 5 rootstocks. The trees on P-HL-C that grew without irrigation similarly as the trees on Gisela 5 grew significantly more vigorously when irrigation was applied. Considerable differences in the response to irrigation were also found among cultivars; it increased the vigour of Halka, Sylvana, Aranka and Burlat more distinctly, whereas the least response to irrigation was recorded in the Horka, Jacinta and Justyna cultivars. The vigour of Regina, Tim and Vanda cultivars grown on P-HL-C rootstock was more extensively increased by irrigation than if they grew on Gisela 5. Flower and fruit sets of irrigated trees were with a few exceptions significantly lower than those of trees without irrigation. Tamara, Sandra and Regina were the most vigorous cultivars in this study, whereas Tim and Skeena had the weakest tree growth. Practical aspects of these findings are briefly discussed.

Evaluation of some cherry varieties grafted on Gisela 5 rootstock

“…The diameter of the trunk is an indicator of the vegetative potential of a tree. It depends on the combination of variety and rootstock (Lanauskas et al, 2012), ecological conditions, training system, applied agrotechnical measures (Blazkova and Hlusickova, 2008), etc. Gisela 5 is usually ranked as a dwarf rootstock (Cmelik et al, 2004;Balmer and Blanke, 2005), and it rapidly decreases trunk diameter and total vegetative growth of the trees.…”

Sweet Cherry Pomological and Biochemical Characteristics Influenced by Rootstock

“…Cherry rootstocks to impart a complete range of tree vigor are available now and are useful for different pedo-climatic conditions and cultivation systems . Cherry rootstocks have effects on grafted cultivars such as controlling tree size and yield efficiency − , mineral composition of shoots , cessation of terminal shoot growth , variation in xylem structure , sweet cherry powdery mildew foliar infections , or response to drip irrigation .…”

Pilienveida apūdeņošanas un šķeldu mulčas ietekme uz skābo ķiršu (Prunus cerasus L.) jaunkoku ražas veidošanos un augļu kvalitāti = The influence of drip irrigation and woodchip mulch on yield formation and fruit quality of young sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) trees

“…Pilienveida apūdeņošana veicināja saldo ķiršu jaunkoku augšanu izmēģinājumā, kas veikts Čehijā (Blažková and Hlušičková, 2008). Pētījumā tika izmantotas dažādas saldo ķiršu šķirnes uz dažādiem potcelmiem (saldo ķiršu sēklaudži, P-HL-C, Gisela 5).…”

“…Turpmākajos gados kontroles variantā ziedēšanas intensitāte bija nedaudz zemāka. Līdzīgi, neliels sausums bija veicinājis ziedpumpuru ieriešanos saldajiem ķiršiem Čehijā, un ziedēšanas intensitāte ar pilienveida apūdeņošanu audzētajiem saldajiem ķiršiem pirmajos divos ziedēšanas gados (2. un 3. audzēšanas gadā) bija būtiski zemāka nekā kontroles variantā augušajiem saldajiem ķiršiem, lai gan dažas šķirņu -potcelmu kombinācijas reaģēja atšķirīgi (Blažková and Hlušičková, 2008). Veģetatīvā augšana saldajiem ķiršiem bija intensīvāka pilienveida apūdeņošanas variantā minētajā izmēģinājumā.…”

“…Čehijā veiktā izmēģinājumā augļu aizmešanās ar pilienveida apūdeņošanu audzētajiem saldajiem ķiršiem pirmajos divos ziedēšanas gados bija būtiski zemāka nekā kontroles variantā augušajiem saldajiem ķiršiem (Blažková and Hlušičková, 2008). Tomēr ražība saldajiem ķiršiem būtiski neatšķīrās, jo vājāko augļu aizmešanos kompensēja lielākie vainagi pilienveida apūdeņošanas variantā.…”