Yield and seed productivity of pear rootstock forms in the conditions of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals

Abstract

The article presents the results of studying the diversity of pear rootstock forms in terms of yield and seed productivity. The research was carried out at the experimental sites of the Orenburg Experimental Station of Horticulture and Viticulture of AllRussian Horticultural Institute for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery and the Botanical Garden of the Orenburg State University in 2017-2019, in typical soil and climatic conditions of the Orenburg city. The purpose of the study is to identify pear rootstock forms characterized by high yield and stable seed productivity for use in the future as a seed rootstock. During the research, 15 pear accessions were studied; the planting scheme was 6x4 m. As a result of research, it was found that the rootstock form Temno-zelenaya is characterized by a high yield (40 kg/tree). High seed productivity of more than 6 seeds in one fruit was observed in samples: Vernaya (6.0-6.5 pcs.), SK-1, SK-3 (6.1-7.8 pcs.), SK-2 (7.0-7.5 pcs.), Chang Bai Li (7.4-7.7 pcs.), Semennaya 214 (7.5-7.8 pcs.). It was revealed that the Xiao he Bai Li variety is characterized by the maximum weight of 1000 seeds (65.2 g). Analysis of accessions by seed yield established that a consistently high yield is observed in the varieties Chang Bai Li (2.5-4.2 %), Vernaya (3.96-4.18 %) and forms SK-1 (2.0-3.25%), SK-2 (2.25-2.75 %), SK-3 (1.43-4.0 %). Pear rootstock forms Chang Bai Li, Vernaya, Semennaya 214, SK-1, SK-2, SK-3 were identifi ed, which can be recommended for production testing as seed pear rootstocks for the conditions of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals.