Effect of Different Rootstocks on Flowering, Fruiting and Yield of Kalamata and Dolce Olive Trees

Abstract

The present study was carried out through 2013 and 2014 seasons in a private orchard at Cairo/Alex. desert road on 21 years old Picholine, Frantoio, Mission, Manzanillo and Koroneiki olive rootstocks which were re-juveniled and top grafted at 2008 season by Kalamata and Dolce olive cultivars. Trees were planted at 6 × 6 meters planting distances, and grown in Sandy soil under drip irrigation system. The aim of the present study was carried out to investigate the effect of different rootstocks (Picholine, Frantoio, Mission, Manzanillo and Koroneiki) on the productivity of the main two black table cultivars in Egypt (Kalamata and Dolce). The results noticed that, vegetative growth parameters varied according to the influence of the studied rootstocks on Kalamata and Dolce cvs., whereas Kalamta scion grafted on Picholine rootstock presented the highest values of tree height, trunk perimeter, trunk cross section area and shoot length, while the first of the three previous parameters were recorded their best values with Dolce trees grafted on Frantoio rootstock. Also, Picholine rootstock with Dolce trees gave the earliest date of (beginning, full blooming and ending of flowering) and the highest numbers of inflorescences/meter, total flowers/inflorescence, fruit set/meter, while Picholine and Mission rootstocks gave the highest yield of Dolce tree Furthermore, Kalamta trees achieved the highest fruit set with Picholine rootstock and the best yield with (Picholine, Frantoio and Mission rootstocks) and gave the heaviest fruit and flesh weight with Mission rootstock. On the other hand, Koroneiki and Manzanillo rootstocks were influenced negatively on the two studied cultivars (Kalamata and Dolce) and gave the lowest values in most of studied characteristics. Under the same conditions of the present study, it could be concluded that, Picholine rootstock followed by Mission then Farantoio revealed the highest productivity of Kalamata trees. However, Dolce Cultivar has achieved the maximum productivity with Picholine and Mission rootstocks.

Morphological, physio-biochemical and nutritional status as potential markers for grafting compatibility in Kalamata olive cultivar

“…The ability of rootstock to increase nitrogen and magnesium in their scion could by more important characters due to save nitrogen fertilization and lower environment pollution which may be increased scion leaves and SPAD value in Picual and Coratina rootstocks. These compatibility results may be explain the previous results by Mofeed [ 8 ] who stated that, Kalamata cultivar grafted onto Picual rootstock recorded the highest increase in vegetative behavior (trunk diameter, tree height, shoot length) and fruiting characteristics (fruit set, yield) compared to Koroneiki and Manzanillo rootstocks which affected Kalamata growth and yield negatively. In this context, Laz [ 6 ] found that, Kalamata grafted into Picual rootstock exhibited more vegetative growth (number of leaves, leaf area) than Koroneiki rootstock under salinity stress.…”

“…Choosing the appropriate rootstock for Kalamata cultivar has not received much attention from the scientific community. Rootstocks affected plant vigor, nutritional status and overcoming biotic and abiotic stress [ 6 – 8 ].…”