Physiological and Agronomical Responses of ‘Vairo’ Almond and ‘Big Top’ Nectarine Cultivars Grafted onto Different Prunus Rootstocks and Grown under Semiarid Mediterranean Conditions

Abstract

Two trials were conducted under Mediterranean conditions to monitor several physiological indicators before harvest (leaf chlorophyll concentration, quantum yield of photosystem II electron transport, stem water potential, and stomatal conductance) and some agronomic performance parameters before and at harvest (vigor, fruit growth, fruit size, fruit weight, and yield), of ‘Vairo’ almond and ‘Big Top’ nectarine cultivars grafted onto eight Prunus rootstocks, six of which are common in both cultivars. For both ‘Vairo’ almond and ‘Big Top’ nectarine cultivars, factors including rootstock, date, and the interaction between rootstock and date, from fruit set to harvest were evaluated. Significantly affected were certain physiological and agronomical traits which were evaluated before harvest, with stem water potential being the parameter affected by interaction in both cultivars. In fact, the stem water potential presented low levels in Rootpac-20 and high levels in Rootpac-40 for both cultivars. With regard to the other physiological traits evaluated during the growing period, changes in stomatal conductance were observed in ‘Vairo’, but not in ‘Big Top’. Comparing rootstocks throughout the season, Rootpac-40 and IRTA-1 exhibited the highest stomatal conductance values, whereas the lowest was observed in Rootpac-R; Rootpac-20 and Ishtara also presented low values. Regarding agronomical traits at harvest, GF-677 and IRTA-1 produced high yields for ‘Vairo’ almond cultivar, whereas Rootpac-40 and Ishtara performed better with ‘Big Top’ nectarine cultivar.