‘MP-29’, a Clonal Interspecific Hybrid Rootstock for Peach

Abstract

‘MP-29’ rootstock has been jointly released for grower trial by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (Byron, GA) and the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station. ‘MP-29’ is suggested for trial as a rootstock for peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) varieties on Armillaria root rot (ARR) [Armillaria tabescens (Scop.:Fr.) Dennis et al.] infested sites where peach seedling type rootstocks often fail to provide satisfactory tree longevity. Peach varieties budded onto ‘MP-29’ rootstock displayed significantly better resistance to ARR than did trees on ‘Guardian’ or ‘Sharpe’ rootstocks. Trees on ‘MP-29’ displayed resistance to peach tree short life (PTSL) comparable to that of trees budded onto ‘Guardian’ peach seedling rootstock. ‘MP29’ also provides a marked reduction in tree vigor compared with peach seedling type rootstocks and may prove useful as a semidwarf rootstock where a less vigorous tree is preferred.