Thesis
Performance of 'Bartlett' and 'd'Anjou' Pear Grafted on Cold-Hardy Quince Accessions
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
01/2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000004369
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/124907
Abstract
Pear is widely grown worldwide, with production estimated at 22.6 million tons. Washington state leads in US production of the European (Pyrus communis L.) pear and grows most of the fresh and canning pears in the Pacific Northwest for the commercial market. Orchard designs and training systems have been changing from traditional low-density plantings to modern high-density plantings in tree fruit areas around the world to maximize production through high yields; reduce labor costs and challenges, and improve overall orchard efficiency. To have a sustainable and successfully productive high-density orchard, dwarfing rootstocks are needed to control vigor and tree size, increase precocity, and produce high-quality large fruit for the market. Unlike with apples, the US has been hesitant about adopting high-dwarfing rootstocks for pear production mainly because the currently available rootstocks are more susceptible to harsher environments than are found in the PNW. Further research evaluating dwarfing rootstocks for high-density pear orchards is crucial to improving the current state of the US pear industry. This research addressed the improvement of European pear production in the PNW utilizing rootstock selection, emphasizing the use of quince as a dwarfing rootstock for ‘Bartlett’ and ‘d’Anjou’ pear cultivars. Overall performance and growth characteristics were determined for all nine CYD quince rootstock graft combinations, using a ‘Comice’ interstem for both cultivars. Specifically, this research identified 4 promising CYD quince accession rootstock combinations for WA pear production based on adequate vegetative growth and vigor, physiological performance, fruit productivity, and fruit quality. These combinations included ‘Bartlett’ and ‘d’Anjou’ grafted with a ‘Comice’ interstem to quince rootstocks 22.001, 23.001, 57.001, and 65.001. These findings allow the US pear industry to move more confidently into the direction of high-density pear production using a promising dwarfing quince rootstock for pear.
Metrics
1 File views/ downloads
23 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Performance of 'Bartlett' and 'd'Anjou' Pear Grafted on Cold-Hardy Quince Accessions
- Creators
- Emma Joy Steele
- Contributors
- Stefano Musacchi (Advisor)Sara Serrra (Committee Member)Amit Dhingra (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Horticulture
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 164
- Identifiers
- 99900883039201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis