• Basic Information
• Additional Info

Basic Information

• Project No. and Title: NC_old140 : Improving Economic and Environmental Sustainability in Tree-Fruit Production Through Changes in Rootstock Use
• Period Covered: 10/01/2017 to 09/30/1918
• Date of Report: 01/21/2019
• Annual Meeting Dates: 11/14/2018 to 11/15/2018

Participants

Autio, Wesley (autio@umass.edu) – University of Massachusetts; Black, Brent (brent.black@usu.edu) – Utah State University; Bradshaw, Terence (tbradsha@uvm.edu) – University of Vermont; Casamali, Bruno (bcasamali@gmail.com) - University of Georgia; Jon (jon.clements@umass.edu) – University of Massachusetts; Cline, John (jcline@uoguelph.ca) - University of Guelph, Ontario; Cochran, Diana (dianac@iastate.edu) – Iowa State University; Cowgill, Win (wincowgill@mac.com) - Rutgers University, retired; Crassweller, Rob (rmc7@psu.edu) – Pennsylvania State University; Fallahi, Esmaeil (efallahi@uidaho.edu) – University of Idaho; Fazio, Gennaro (gf35@cornell.edu) – Cornell University; Heyduck, Robert (rheyduck@nmsu.edu) - New Mexico State University; Hoover, Emily (hoover@umn.edu) – University of Minnesota; Kalcsits, Lee (lee.kalcsits@wsu.edu) – Washington State University; Kon, Tom ( tom_kon@ncsu.edu - North Carolina State University; Kushad, Mosbah (kushad@illinois.edu) – University of Illinois; Lang, Gregory (langg@msu.edu) – Michigan State University; Marini, Richard (rpm12@psu.edu) – Pennsylvania State University; Minas, Ioannis (ioannis.mias@colostate.edu) – Colorado State University; Moran, Renae (rmoran@maine.edu) – University of Maine; Muehlbauer, Megan (muehlbauer@njaes.rutgers) - Rutgers University; Musacchi, Stefano, (stefano.musacchi@wsu.edu) –Washington State University; Pieper, Jeff (jeff.pieper@colostate.edu - Colorado State University; Reighard, Gregory (grghrd@clemson.edu) – Clemson University; Robinson, Terence (tlr1@cornell.edu) - Cornell University; Sherif, Sherif (ssherif@vt.edu) – Virginia Tech; Stasiak, Matt (mstasiak@wisc.edu) – University of Wisconsin; Warmund, Michele (warmundm@missouri.edu) - University of Missouri; Wolfe, Dwight (dwolfe@uky.edu) – University of Kentucky; Xu, Hao (hao.xu@uky.edu) – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Yoder, Keith (ksyoder@vt.edu) Virginia Tech;

Accomplishments

Impacts

1. • Information being gathered from the NC-140 trials is extremely useful in ascertaining the environment-genetic interactions rootstocks have on yield, precocity and tree performance. The NC-140 plantings are important for evaluating the performance of new rootstocks from around the world when grown in our local environments. The objective evaluation of these rootstocks will provide tree fruit producers criteria to select the most appropriate rootstocks for their needs when they become commercially available. NC-140 plantings are regularly used as demonstration plots for visiting apple growers, extension personnel, and research scientist (ONT).
2. • NC-140 trials in UT and CO have identified peach rootstocks that are tolerant of high pH soils common in western states.
3. • Using ‘MP-29’ tissue culture plantlets for budding peach trees in a one-year cycle was demonstrated with the help of a local nursery in GA. The nursery produced 3000 trees in 2018 and next year they will establish a larger plot of about 10K plantlets for orders already submitted by local growers. This source of material will provide growers with trees budded on ‘MP-29’ that are currently difficult to obtain from nurseries. Additionally, growers will be able to order trees on ‘MP-29’ just one year in advance instead of two-years. This allows peaches to be planted on land that was previously abandoned due to Armillaria root rot for which the standard rootstock ‘Guardian’ is highly susceptible.
4. • NC-140 is the primary source of rootstock and orchard systems information for North American fruit growers. Based on NC-140 results, 150 acres of trees on dwarfing rootstock were planted in MA in 2018. In similar orchards, pruning and harvest labor declined by 50%, fruit quality and size increased by 20%, profit increased by 50%, and because of reduced canopy volume, pesticide use declined by 70% (MA). In 2018, MO growers planted 100 acres of apple trees on dwarfing rootstocks. Since 1992 over 99% of the new apple plantings in NJ have been established on dwarfing rootstocks. Yields from these high-density plantings have 294% higher than yields in older low-density orchards. As of 2018, several KY growers decided to establish high-density systems using some of the newer Geneva rootstocks such as G.41 and G.202. Based on research trials, trees on these rootstocks survived fire blight, which is a major cause of tree mortality in KY. As new varieties and rootstocks become commercialized, growers will continue to rely on NC-140 for rootstock and orchard systems recommendations.
5. • Researchers in several states have identified apple rootstocks that may reduce bitter pit incidence in Honeycrisp apples and enhance the cold hardiness of apple and peach trees.
6. • The 2009 Peach Rootstock Trial is the first NC-140 peach trial planted in NC. It is planted in the Sandhills Region of NC where peaches were grown historically, and where peach tree short life is one of the major factors limiting peach production. From data generated so far, several rootstocks are not suitable for eastern NC but several are promising for higher density plantings. In 2017 another peach trial was established at the Sandhills Research Station to evaluate high density peach production.

Publications