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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #220485
Title: Importance of scion cultivar in peach tree short life

Author
item Okie, William
item REIGHARD, G - CLEMSON UNIV, SC
item Nyczepir, Andrew

Submitted to: Journal of the American Pomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/7/2008
Publication Date: 1/1/2009
Citation: Okie, W.R., Reighard, G.L., Nyczepir, A.P. 2009. Importance of scion cultivar in peach tree short life. Journal of American Pomological Society. 63:58-63.

Interpretive Summary: Peach Tree Short Life (PTSL) syndrome, in which ring nematode in the soil, cold injury to the trunk, and bacterial canker combine to kill the above-ground portion of the tree is common in the Southeast when peaches are replanted into old orchard sites. Rootstock plays an important role; trees on Guardian rootstock survive better than those on Lovell or Nemaguard where PTSL is present. Little is known about the role of scion (fruit) variety on susceptibility to PTSL. Previous studies looking at the role of variety showed ambiguous results. This study, done in both South Carolina and Georgia, suggests that environmental variability associated with the plantings makes it difficult to reliably separate most commercial varieties into susceptibility classes. Varietal susceptibility was not very consistent from test to test. Higher numbers of replication are needed for reliable screening of scion varieties.

Technical Abstract: In the Southeast peach trees planted on sites previously planted to peaches often suffer from Peach Tree Short Life (PTSL) syndrome, in which ring nematode, cold injury, and bacterial canker combine to kill the scion in the spring. Rootstock plays an important role; trees on Guardian rootstock survive better than those on Lovell or Nemaguard where PTSL is present. Little is known about the role of scion in susceptibility to PTSL. Previous studies looking at the role of cultivar showed ambiguous results. This study, done in both South Carolina and Georgia, suggests that environmental variability associated with the plantings makes it difficult to reliably separate most commercial cultivars into susceptibility classes. Cultivar susceptibility in the previous experiments was not well correlated with the results of this test, nor with each other. Higher numbers of replication are needed for reliable screening of scion cultivars.