Study of Rooting Ability in Progeny of some Apple (Mallus domestica Borkh.) Hybrid Rootstocks

Layering and hard wood cutting are known as apple rootstock propagation methods. In this research rooting ability of 1489 apple rootstock hybrid progenies obtained from different cross combinations or open pollination apple rootstock breeding program from 2004 to 2008 in Horticultural Sciences Research Intitute was studied. Screening was done in two separate experiments included: rooting ability of progenies in stool bed condition (the first screening) and rooting ability of elite's hardwood cutting in greenhouse condition (second screening). Results were showed 49 genotypes (3.2% of population) have good rooting ability in the stool bed layering. In the second screening 17 genotypes had hardwood rooting ability (above 40%) were selected as elites apple rootstocks. Progeny was resulted from combination Azayesh as the mother parent (native rootstock) with M9, M27, B9 as the father parents and azayesh open pollinated, with 11 easy rooting genotype, the most root number (2.05-12.3 root per cutting), deepest roots (1.75-4.25cm) and the most layer (8 layer per stool) has the best rooting ability among other combinations. Elite genotypes have more rooting ability than MM111 rootstock as easy rooting rootstock (control).