THE PHENOLOGICAL AND POMOLOGICAL TRAITS OF SELECTED GENOTYPES OF WILD PEAR [Pyrus pyraster (L.) Du Roi] IMPORTANT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GENERATIVE ROOTSTOCKS

Abstract

The aim of this work is to produce the generative rootstocks for the wild pears, which will be of moderate denseness. The initial material is the population of wild pear in the area of Polimlje. The study focused on few segments. Very first one included recording of the phenological traits – first flowering, full flowering, end of flowering and harvest period. The other segment comprised pomological features, i.e. physical [fruit weight (g), fruit size (mm), mass of dry seed (g), and number of seed in 1 kg of the fruit]. Seeds from 9 selected genotypes of wild pears were planted in the nursery and raised seedlings were evaluated for nursery characteristics: germination, seedling vigor, uniformidty and branching. Raised seedlings were used as rootstocks for scion cultivar ‘Grand Champion’. The most important benefit of this study is the fact that the parent trees, the seeds of which provide the best morphological and physiological characteristics for the production of generative rootstocks, were found and favored (in situ). Results of this research show that the rapid growth and uniformity of scions depend on the genetic characteristics of generative rootstocks of selected genotypes of wild pears, such as: plant height, stem diameter (corpulence), branching and uniformity. The selected genotypes, especially ‘Genotype 11’, proved to be the best for mountainous areas of the north of Montenegro, higher altitudes and poorer types of soil. The ‘Genotype 11’ is suggested as the best option for the production of generative rootstocks due to its small vigour level.