SEMIDWARF GROWTH HABIT IN CLINGSTONE PEACH WITH DESIRABLE TREE AND FRUIT QUALITIES

A single seedling exhibiting a semidwarf growth habit was found in an open-pollinated clingstone peach [Prunuspersica (L.) Batsch] populatio n. The growth habit was upright and open, with short, spur-like latera l branching. Tree size was about half that of its siblings as a result of shorter internodes. The total number of nodes on first-order branc hes was not significantly different from that on standard-sized trees. The semidwarf growth habit remained stable after vegetative propagati on. Segregation in sexual progeny showed the trait to be highly herita ble.