Abstract
The influence of the peach-almond hybrid rootstocks GF 677 and GXN 15 (Garnem) on the flowering, fruit ripening and the end of vegetation phenophases were studied for the Redhaven, UFO 4 peach cultivars and Big Top nectarine cultivar over a period of three years. It was found that the rootstock GXN 15 (Garnem) induced the onset of flowering up to two days earlier in all cultivars throughout the study period, whereas the rootstock GF 677 increased the flowering duration. Our results demonstrate that both rootstocks do not induce differences in the fruit ripening and end of vegetation periods. Furthermore, the Big Top cultivar tends toward earlier development at the end of winter which makes it highly sensitive to late spring frost.
Keywords: Peach-almond hybrid rootstocks, GF 677, Garnem, flowering, ripening period