The study was focused on the varieties of macrocarpous semi-culture apple-trees, which are promising for growing in Southern Predbaikal’ye. Most of varieties studied were shown to be characterized by low winter-resistance in the case of low trunk grafting. Tree skeleton grafting demonstrated an increase of winter-resistance of macrocarpous semi-culture apple-trees

Rachenko E.I.

Rachenko M.A.

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Journal of Stress Physiology & Biochemistry, Vol. 9 No. 3 2013, pp. 232-239 ISSN 1997-0838Original Text Copyright © 2013 by Rachenko, RachenkoORIGINAL ARTICLEWinter damage of frost semi-resistant half-cultured apple-trees varieties in sounthern predbaikal’ye Rachenko M.A.*, Rachenko E.I.Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy оf Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia*Tel.: (395-2)42-59-03*E-Mail: bigmks73@rambler.ruReceived March 20, 2013The study was focused on the varieties of macrocarpous semi-culture apple-trees, which are promising for growing in Southern Predbaikal’ye. Most of varieties studied were shown to be characterized by low winter-resistance in the case of low trunk grafting. Tree skeleton grafting demonstrated an increase of winter-resistance of macrocarpous semi-culture apple-trees. Key words: Apple-tree, macrocarpous, winter-resistance, skeletogenous organJOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 9 No. 3 2013Winter damage of frost apple-trees...ORIGINAL ARTICLEWinter damage of frost semi-resistant half-cultured apple-trees varieties in sounthern predbaikal’ye Rachenko M.A.*, Rachenko E.I.Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy оf Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia*Tel.: (395-2)42-59-03*E-Mail: bigmks73@rambler.ruReceived March 20, 2013The study was focused on the varieties of macrocarpous semi-culture apple-trees, which are promising for growing in Southern Predbaikal’ye. Most of the varieties studied were shown to be characterized by low winter-resistance in case of low trunk grafting. Tree skeleton grafting demonstrated increase of winter-resistance of macrocarpous semi-culture apple-trees. Key words: Apple-tree, macrocarpous, winter-resistance, skeletogenous organPribaikal’ye   occupies   a   fairly   large   area; therefore, it would not be adequate to discuss the possibility of pomiculture all over the territory. The climate on the whole is sharply continental and fruit-bearing trees growing, particularly in northern regions,   is   quite   complicated.   The   Southern Predbaikal’ye region including Irkutsk district is best suited for commercial and amateur pomiculture. This is primarily due to geographic location of the area and high level of agriculture development. Fruit plantations examination conducted by our researchers on horticultural and farmers’ lands in the   Southern   Predbaikal’ye   region   showed   a considerable increase in the number of apple-trees (Rachenko  et   al.,   2010).   Increasingly   growing demand   for   planting   material   in   amateur horticulture   is   accounted   for   by   successful cultivation of this cultivar in the region. Creation of commercial gardens in the Southern Predbaikal’ye region is currently hindered by the lack of relevant studies in this realm. To replenish the assortment, it is   crucial   for   our   region   to   evaluate   varieties’ adaptability to local conditions and their ability to ensure stable high quality fruit-bearing. Apple-tree assortment in the Irkutsk region is largely based on the varieties selected by Buryat Fruit   and   Berry   Test   Station   and   Krasnoyarsk Research Station for Horticulture (Krutikov, 2007). The major advantage of these varieties is their high winter resistance. But small fruits and low quality JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 9 No. 3 2013182 200 208233Rachenko, Rachenkotaste reduce their consumer value. That is why it is critical   to   select   for   growing   in   the   Southern Predbaikal’ye region apple-tree varieties with fairly large fruits (40-100 g) and good taste. The studies in this   direction   formed   the   primary  goal   of   the present work.MATERIALS AND METHODSThe objects of the study were apple-trees of 11 varieties from different selection stations and of folk   selection:   'Altaiskoe   krapchatoe',   'Altaiskoe rumjanoe',   'Altaiskoe   ubileinoe',   'Alyye   parusa', 'Krasnaya gorka', 'Nezhenka', 'Podarok sadovodam', 'Yunga' (SRI named after М.А. Lisavenko); 'Svetloye' (Krasnoyarsk   Research   Station   for   Horticulture); 'Serebryanoye   kopyttse'   (Sverdlovsk   Horticulture Experiment   Station);   'Prevoskhodnoye'   (folk selection). All the studies were performed in 2005-2010 in Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry   SB   RAS,   private   farms   of   Irkutsk district, Irkutsk region. The  planting material  for  collection  lot  was grown   in   identical   climatic   and   agrotechnical conditions. As seedling stocks there were used 2-year   old   seedlings   of   apple-tree   of   Siberian crabapple (for implanting into the tree body), 5-7 year   old   apple-trees   for   implanting   into skeletogenous organ at 1.2 meters, in 3-5 skeleton branches. Apple-trees were evaluated by winter-resistance   in   field   conditions   (Program   and investigation methods…, 1999).Collection and primary investigation of apple-trees varieties was conducted on the test lots of the total area of 2.5 ha. Each variety was presented by 7-10 trees. Plantation scheme: interval between rows - 6 m, interval between trees - 3 m. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONClimatic conditions of Siberia as a whole and Southern Predbaikal’ye in particular, significantly differ   from   those   of   the   regions   with   well developed   industrial   and   private   horticulture. There   may   be   identified   three   primary   factors limiting  apple-trees  groping in  Siberian  climate: short vegetation period and lack of the positive temperatures  sum;   short   hardening  period   and rapid transfer to low negative temperatures with the   minimum   snowpack;   long-term   impact   of extremely low temperatures at the end of winter and beginning of spring (thaw-frost; large range between   night   negative   and   day   positive temperatures); repeated frosts during vegetation and blooming. Analysis of temperature data over six years of monitoring   allowed   to   identify   the   most unfavorable seasonal weather changes. 2006-2007 were the most favorable years: long autumn   (stable   negative   temperatures   were observed only at the beginning of November) with smooth temperature reduction by late November (from -3о to -25оС) helped the apple-trees to fully complete   hardening;   comparatively   soft   winter (minimal   average   temperatures   of   December, January and February: -17,4о, -17,8о  and -16,6оС) and   early   spring   (by   the   20-th   of   April   air temperature grew up to 26.4оС); 2007-2008 were also favorable: long-term autumn hardening (the temperature did not go below -15оС before mid November),   only   January   was   extremely   cold (average minimal  temperature  was -26.4оС,  the same parameter for December and January was 17.6оС and 20.9оС respectively);  the spring started early, positive temperatures were observed already at the beginning of March. 2008-2009   proved   unfavorable   for   winter survival:   unstable   autumn   (temperature fluctuations   in   November   from   6о  to   -25оС), JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 9 No. 3 2013234Winter damage of frost apple-trees...relatively   cold   winter   (average   minimal temperatures of December, January and February equaled 21.7оС, -21.4оС  and -24.2оС  respectively) and cold spring (temperature exceeded 0оС only by the end of the third week of March);  2009-2010 were also unfavorable: practically no hardening period (negative temperatures were reached only in late October, in the first ten days of November temperatures was as low as -25.2оС), anomalously cold   winter   (average   monthly   temperatures   of December, January and February equaled -24.6о, -24.9о  and   -25.8оС  respectively)   with   long-term periods   of   extremely   low   temperature   (below -30оС), late spring (minimal temperature before the third week of March often dropped below -15оС) with large temperature fluctuations (in the fourth week of April they ranged from 16,6о to -6,6оС, in the first and second ten days of May it varied from 21.4  to  -2.6оС).Evaluation of winter resistance of macrocarpous semi-cultured apple-trees implanted into low tree body   demonstrated   that   by   the   end   of   the monitoring period all the varieties studied had an intense and very intense bark and one-year old wood frost pockets  однолетней  древесины  (Fig. 1).  The trees of 'Altaiskoe krapchatoe', 'Altaiskoe rumjanoe'  and   'Serebryanoye   kopyttse'   were completely winter-killed, the other studied varieties of macrocarpous semi-cultured trees had large bark damage areas and intense damage of wood (Fig. 2), the   damages   were   noticeable   at   the   basis   of skeleton branches, particularly at the sharp angle of the first order branch bifurcation from the central conductor and on the trunk at the snow level (Figs. 3-4). Only 'Podarok sadovodam', 'Prevoskhodnoye' and 'Svetloye' varieties representing macrocarpous semi-cultured trees had satisfactory and good state. An important constituent of fruit tree winter resistance   is  its   ability   to   recover   after   winter damages (Creation of new varieties.., 2002). This is particularly critical for the varieties, which are most intensely affected by unfavorable winter factors. Unfortunately, in our conditions not all the varieties possess   this   property.   After   severe   winter   of 2009/2010   only   'Podarok   sadovodam', 'Prevoskhodnoye' and 'Svetloye' varieties managed to recover (Fig. 6).The   monitoring   demonstrated   that   most frequent and intense damages are suffered by the tree skeleton, in particular the tree body and basis of lower skeleton branches. So it is efficient to use a winter-resistant variety or species as a tree-former or skeletogenous organ (wild apple-tree species, crab apples, winter-resistant semi-cultured species) (Susov, 1993). We used the most winter-resistant apple-tree species – Siberian Berry (Malus baccata (L.) Borkh.) as a skeletogenous organ. Implantation of   macrocarpous   semi-cultured   trees   into skeletogenous organ significantly increased their winter resistance (Fig. 6).Over six years of monitoring no considerable freezing of bark and wood was observed in most of macrocarpous semi-cultured trees implanted into skeletogenous organ. Only after the winter of 2009-2010, when minimal air temperature was below -30оС for a long time, 'Altai Jubilee' and 'Silver Hoof' varieties developed significant bark damages with wood   necrosis,   which   negatively   affected   the general tree status. JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 9 No. 3 2013235Rachenko, Rachenko Figure 1.  Average  indices of damage  degree  for  bark,  one-year-old  wood  and reproductive  buds of macrocarpous semi-cultivated apple-trees, implanted on low tree body, over the monitoring years.А    B Figure 2. Sunscald of the bark of 'Svetloye' variety (А) at the snow level and frost cleft (B) on the 'Altaiskoe rumjanoe' tree trunk.JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 9 No. 3 2013126236Winter damage of frost apple-trees... Figure 3. Damages at the basis of skeleton branches at the sharp angle of the first order branch bifurcation from the central conductor 'Alyye parusa' variety. Figure 4.  Consequences of winter damage on the trunk of apple-tree, 'Altaiskoe krapchatoe' and 'Yunga' varieties.JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 9 No. 3 2013237Rachenko, Rachenko Figure 5. Regeneration after winter damage on the trunk of apple-tree, 'Prevoskhodnoye' variety. Figure 6. Comparison of tree general status at the end of monitoring period; breakdown for semi-cultured apple-trees with implantation into low trunk and skeletogenous organ.Thus, the research conducted allows to conclude the following:1. The studied varieties of macrocarpous half-cultured   apple-trees:   'Altaiskoe   krapchatoe', 'Altaiskoe rumjanoe', 'Altaiskoe ubileinoe', 'Alyye parusa', 'Krasnaya gorka', 'Serebryanoye kopyttse', 'Yunga' with low tree body implantation proved to be the varieties of low winter resistance in Southern Predbaikal’ye. The apple-trees varieties 'Podarok sadovodam', 'Prevoskhodnoye' and 'Svetloye' were classed as varieties of medium winter resistance.2. Implantation   into   winter-resistant skeletogenous organ reduces the amount of winter damages in the apple-trees varieties under study: 'Altai Spotted', 'Altai Ruddy', 'Altai Jubilee', 'Crimson Sails', 'Red Hill', 'Silver Hoof', 'Yunga'. We recommend to grow macrocarpous semi-JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 9 No. 3 2013238Winter damage of frost apple-trees...cultured apple-trees in Southern Predbaikal’ye with implantation   either   into   winter-resistant skeletogenous organ or in the zone with favorable microclimate.   Siberian   berry   apple-tree   is recommended to be used as a skeletogenous organ. REFERENCESCreation of new varieties and donors of valuable properties on the basis of identified genes of fruit-bearing plants (2002) ed. By N.I. Savel’yev, Michurinsk,.  144 p.Krutikov   I.А.   (2007)   Irkutsk   region   varieties resources,  Irkutsk: IrGAA.Program and investigation methods of fruit, berry and nut cultures varieties. (1999) ed. by  Е.Т. Sedov,   T.P.   Ogoltsova,   Orel:   Publ.   house VNIISKP, 608 p.Rachenko  М.А.   (2010)   Diversity   of   apple-trees variety   considered   for   growing   in   Southern Predbaika’ye.   In:  Improvement   of   range   of varieties and cultivation techniques of fruit and berry crops: materials of international scientific-practical conference. Orel: VNIISPK,. P. 186-188.Susov   V.I.   (1993)   Enhancement   of   fruit-bearing trees   winter-resistance   and   yield   capacity Мoscow: Tovarishchestvo “DeKont”, 128 p.JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 9 No. 3 2013239

Winter damage of frost semi-resistant half-cultured apple-trees varieties in sounthern predbaikal’ye

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