Nursery performance of peach seedling rootstocks

The nursery performance of a cross-section of both historically important and current commercial peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] seedling type rootstocks was studied over three growing seasons at six nurseries serving the southeastern United States peach industry. Many of the 14 rootstock lines tested differed significantly in both their percent germination and growth prior to budding. Tennessee Natural (IR282-2) displayed the best (77%) germination. The commercial bulked seedlot of Guardian (TM) (BY520-9) being distributed at the time of this study displayed the worst (32%) percent germination. However, since then Guardian's germination percentage has improved dramatically through the identification and utilization of those selections with superior germination. Percent unbuddable seedlings ranged from 1.5 to 6.6% across the rootstock lines. High vigor is desirable. Nemared and Bailey displayed the highest (58.0 cm height) and lowest (35.2 cm height) vigor, respectively. Seedlings with few or no branches on their lower trunks are most desirable for budding. Rutgers Red Leaf and Bailey displayed the lowest (0.7 branches per seedling) and highest (2.4 branches per seedling) number of side branches on the lowest 10 cm of trunk, respectively. Rootstocks differed sufficiently to warrant preferences for increased production efficiency if rootstock-specific site adaptability did not take precedence.