The Performance of Four Vineland Apple Rootstocks in British Columbia, Canada

Abstract

The horticultural performance of ‘8S6923’ (Aurora Golden Gala™) apple on M.9 EMLA and V.1, V.2, V.3 and V.4 (Vineland) rootstocks was evaluated for 8 years in Summerland, B.C., Canada. The trees were planted in 2003 and trained as vertical axes on a post and wire trellis. Tree vigor fell into three groups based on trunk cross-sectional area, where V.4 > V. 1, V.2 > V.3, M.9 EMLA. Trees on V.4 were also significantly taller and had wider canopies than trees on the other rootstocks. No tree mortality occurred. The cumulative number of root suckers on V.1, V.2 and V.3 was significantly lower than on V.4 or M.9 EMLA. Precocity (based on counts of flower clusters in the second leaf) was highest for M.9 EMLA, whilst trees on V.4 had no blossoms at all. The latter finding is noteworthy because the scion cultivar is normally extremely precocious. Cumulative yield was proportional to tree size. Cumulative yield efficiency was highest for V.3 and M.9 EMLA. In comparison to M.9 EMLA, V.3 was similar in most respects, and it produced fewer root suckers, but it did reduce scion fruit size by about 5%. V. 1 and V.2 were both semi-dwarfing under the conditions of this trial, and they also reduced fruit size slightly relative to M.9 EMLA.