Journal of Agricultural, Life and Environmental SciencesISSN:2233-8322(Print) 2508-870X(Online)강원대학교 농업생명과학대학 농업생명과학연구원

Various apple rootstocks have been developed to induce higher yields and to enhance adaptation to different climatic and environmental conditions. However, the performance of apple rootstocks in South Korea has not been properly investigated. In this study, the influence of 13 apple rootstocks where scion cultivar ‘Fuji’ was grafted was evaluated by fruit count per tree, yields per tree, and fruit characteristics, such as average fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, acidity, sugar content, and fruit firmness for two years. Apple trees grafted onto the M.9 series had more fruits per tree than those grafted onto other rootstocks. The fruit yield per tree of M.9 EMLA was much higher than that of M.26 EMLA. An analysis of covariance was used to evaluate the effect of rootstocks on fruit yield per tree when fruit count per tree was included in the linear model as a covariate. There was a significant difference in the estimated marginal means of P.22 and P.16 in the third and fourth year of planting, respectively, compared to other rootstocks. As a result of comparing the fruit characteristics produced by each rootstock, the fruit of M.9 EMLA was larger in length and width than those of other rootstocks, and fruit weight was much heavier. Principal component analysis showed that the fruits of M.9 EMLA were of higher quality than those of the other rootstocks. Therefore, M.9 EMLA was evaluated as being suitable for the Korean market where, large fruits are favored.