Apple Rootstock Studies: Fifteen Years’ Results with Malling-Merton Clones

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Abstract
The field performance of 27 apple rootstock clones, including M.XXV and all the Malling-Merton ones is reviewed over a fifteen-year period. Three scion varieties were used, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Jonathan and Ellison’s Orange, and the trials were planted both on loam and on sand soil types. None of the new clones made trees as small as those on M.IX, their vigour ranging from that of M.VII to that of M.XVI. MM.106 made trees similar in size and cropping to those on M.VII on the loam soil, but on the sand they were smaller. MM.I06, unlike M.VII, was free from the suckering habit. Trees on MM.III and M.Il were similar in size but Cox on MM.III yielded 20% more fruit over the whole period of the trial and during the years 11 to 15. Trees on MM.I04 were heavy-bearing and larger than those on M.Il and MM.III. In the very vigorous group, MM.Iog cropped heavily but was poorly anchored. Trees on M.XXV were superior in this respect and cropped more heavily than those on M.XVI. Cox and Ellison were unthrifty on 829, but the Jonathan trees behaved normally. Jonathan on MM.102 showed severe interveinalleaf scorch symptoms of magnesium deficiency and cropping was poor. Many of the new rootstocks fell into similar vigour groups. It is suggested that, in other apple-growing areas of the world, other rootstocks besides MM.104, MM.106, MM.III and M.XXV, which were selected .for English conditions, should be tried experimentally. The data presented suggest MM.1O1, MM.103, MM.110, MM.115 and MM.116 as worthy of local study in addition to the four others.

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