Ten different rootstocks on two apple varieties (Topaz and Ecolette) were evaluated on growth, yield, fruit quality and nutrient under 100 percent organic conditions and increased weed pressure. The first trial ran from 1999 to 2006; the second one from 2008 to 2015.
The experiment has 4 replicated plots per cultivar (Topaz and Ecolette), each containing the set of the 10 rootstocks tested (CG 11, CG 16, CG 202, J22, Fleuren 56, M9 T338, Supporter II, P59, P60; one tree per replicated plot). We assess growth (stem circumference and optical judgement, no of suckers and root fields, yield per tree and per cm stem circumference, fruit quality and nutrient up-take by leaf and fruit-analysis). In parallel, from 2010-2013, we conducted tests on fire blight susceptibility of different rootstock x cultivar combinations with artificial infections in the greenhouse of Agroscope Wädenswil (20 combinations at 12 trees per combination).
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