NC-140 Apple Rootstock Trial

Project goal: To evaluate the performance of multiple rootstocks for Honeycrisp fruit quality, yield, and tree health in northwest Michigan sandy soils.

Project description: This project is a collaboration of multiple Universities across sixteen states in the U.S., two locations in Ontario, Canada, and one location in Mexico.  Participants received either Aztec Fuji or Honeycrisp scion on multiple rootstocks depending on specific location.  The NWMHRC received ten replications of Honeycrisp on B.10, G.11, G.202, G.214, G.30, G.41, G.5890, G.935, G.969, M.26 EMLA, M.9 T337, V.1, V.5, V.6, and V.7, and were planted into a randomized design at 4’ x 12’ spacing.  Every year the trees are evaluated for the number of flower clusters per tree, trunk circumference, total yield (kg/tree), total number of fruit per tree, number of fruit with bitterpit, and observed for root suckers and tree decline or death.

Project lead/collaborators: John Cline, University of Guelph; Nikki Rothwell, and Todd Einhorn

Funding sources: NC-140 project funds

Start year: 2014

End year: 2024