Effect of rootstock on vegetative growth, flowering, yield and fruit quality of peach

The effect of two rootstocks on vegetative growth, flowering, yield and fruit quality of peach cultivars Shan-i-Punjab and EarliGrande grafted on 'Sharbati' and 'Flordaguard' was studied for a period of two years. Results of the study showed that Flordaguard rootstock significantly affect the scion girth, plant height, canopy volume and flowering of both the scion varieties. Flordaguard rootstock delayed the fruit maturity of the two scion cultivars viz., Shan-i-Punjab and EarliGrande by 2-3 days than on Sharbati rootstock. Fruit yield and fruit size was found to be nonsignificant on both the rootstocks. However, both the scion cultivars grafted on Flordaguard rootstock had significantly higher TSS (12.20%) and acidity (0.75%) than on Sharbati rootstock. Flordaguard was found to be resistant to the attack of root-knot nematodes, whereas Sharbati was noted to be highly susceptible.