Pistachio rootstock breeding by crossing Pistacia vera L. and Pistacia khinjuk stocks

This study was carried out in the 1996-2000 period for breeding pistachio rootstocks in order to obtain fast growing rootstocks, vigorous and graft compatible with cultivars. The parent plants were determined in the surroundings of Gaziantep at the beginning of the experiments in 1996-97. For this purpose seeds of 14 P. vera varieties and 44 P. khinjuk types were collected and sown. These parents were re-selected according to the growth rate of their seedlings. The male parents were selected during the same years by studying their positive characteristics as males. Five different types of Pistacia khinjuk and of Pistacia vera have been used as female parents, and 6 different Pistacia vera and of Pistacia khinjuk have been used as male parents. Both inter-specific and specific hybridization were made. Thus, 120 hybrid combinations were obtained. Hybrid seeds were sown in plastic containers in greenhouse conditions. According to the Weighted-Rankit test, the highest scores were obtained from 'Siirt' x 46 (Kaska), 'Uzun' x OBE-3, 'Halebi' x 46 (Kaska), 'Ohadi' x 46 (Kaska), 'Kallaghochi' x 46 (Kaska), SB-2 x 12, SB-2 x 4, OB-1 x 5, AB x 14 (Atli), AB-2 x KE and OB-8 x 10. Among seven month old seedlings of Pistacia vera parents, the best results were obtained from 'Ohadi' x 46 (Kaska) and 'Siirt' x 46 (Kaska); among Pistacia khinjuk parents, the best results were obtained from OB-1 x 5 and AB-2 x KE.