Effect of rootstock on the induction of budding on the canopy of ‘Gala’ and ‘Fuji’ apple cultivars

Abstract

The commercial production of apple cultivars Gala and Fuji in Southern Brazil without chemical dormancy breaking is only viable, in most years, at over 1.200m of altitude. At lower-altitude regions where the commercial production of apple is important, the production of these varieties is only viable under spraying of chemicals for breaking dormancy, which is efficient but increases production costs. The present study aimed to verify the effect of different apple rootstocks on the budding of ‘Gala’ and ‘Fuji’ apple cultivars in the Midwest of Santa Catarina State, Brazil, at 1.000m of altitude. The results showed that for all the G apple rootstocks tested, an increasing budding on the canopy of these varieties was observed, as compared to the traditional M.9 and MM.111 apple rootstocks.