Effects of Hawthorn Rootstock on Yield and Fruit Quality in Loquat

The aim of the study is to determine the effects of hawthorn rootstocks on yield and fruit quality of the Hafif cukurgobek (HcG) loquat cultivar. In the study, loquat seedling rootstock was also used as a control. Fruit pomological analysis and yield characteristics of the cultivar/rootstock combinations in the study were determined. In order to determine the fruit quality, 50 fruits were randomly picked from each cultivar/rootstock combination, and physical measurements and chemical analyses were carried out with five replicates. Plants grafted on hawthorn rootstock provide two days of earliness on the fruit harvest date. Hawthorn rootstock provided two days of earliness in fruit harvest (May 17) compared to loquat seedling rootstock. Fruit weight and fruit dimensions were 16.89 g, 32.13 mm and 34.62 mm, respectively, on quince rootstock while it was determined as 18.32 g, 31.72 mm and 33.67 mm in loquat seedling rootstock. Seed number and seed weight were lower in hawthorn rootstock (3.40 and 4.40 g, respectively) than in loquat seedling rootstock (4.02 and 5.25 g, respectively). In terms of flesh/seed ratio, a higher value was obtained from hawthorn rootstock (2.84) than from loquat seedling rootstock (2.50). The total soluble solid value was determined as 9.40% in fruits grown on hawthorn rootstock and 11.30% in fruits grown on loquat seedling rootstock. Titratable acidity was calculated as 0.34% in hawthorn rootstock and 0.44% in loquat rootstock. The effect of rootstocks on fruit skin and flesh color was generally similar. The fruit skin color L and a* (red -green color) were found to be higher in fruits grown on loquat rootstock than on hawthorn rootstock. Hawthorn rootstock gave higher values (1.48 g mm2 -1 and 1141 kg da -1, respectively) than loquat seedling rootstock (0.79 g mm2 -1 and 1051 kg da -1, respectively) in terms of yield per unit trunk cross-sectional area and yield per unit area. However, the study needs to be continued in order to reach a more definite conclusion.