Effects of Four Rootstocks on Growth and Development of Three Rose Scion Cultivars

Performance of three rose cultivars ('Golden Gate', 'Hocus Pocus' and 'Trixx') was evaluated onto four rootstocks (Rosa banksiae Ait., Rosa canina L., Rosa chinensis Jacq. 'Masquerade' and Rosa multiflora Thunb.) in 2006 and 2007. Results indicated that rootstock of Rosa banksiae was incompatible to all cultivars used in this experiment. Number of cut flower, stem and flower diameter, leaf fresh and dry weights, flower stem fresh and dry weights and leaf chlorophyll index were affected by the type of used rootstock. Under the conditions of this research, R. canina was the best rootstock for producing the highest number of flowers (6.76 flowers/plant). Rosa chinensis. 'Masquerade' and R. canina rootstocks were the best rootstocks for the increasing averages of the stem diameters (4.67 and 4.67 mm, respectively) and flower diameters (20.50 and 20.21 mm, respectively). The highest leaf fresh and dry weights were found in cultivars budded on R. canina (8.82 and 2.94 g, respectively) and Rosa chinensis Jacq. 'Masquerade' (8.82 and 2.89 g, respectively). R. canina and Rosa chinensis 'Masquerade' were the best rootstocks for the highest fresh weights (18.04 and 18.15 g, respectively) and dry weights (5.33 and 5.26 g, respectively) of flower stems. Cultivars grafted on R. canina had the high quantities of chlorophyll index. Although the rootstock of the R. canina was the best in the most characters measured compared with other rootstocks used in this study, the rootstock of the Rosa chinensis Jacq. 'Masquerade' was closely comparable to it.