Performance of 'Redhaven' peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.] propagat
ed on nine experimental Prunus rootstocks was evaluated over 8 years b
eginning in 1984, in a randomized complete-block experiment with 10 re
plications on a Brookston clay loam soil type near Harrow, Ont. This e
xperiment was part of an interregional NC-140 peach rootstock experime
nt. Significant rootstock-induced effects were noted for increase in t
runk cross-sectional area, cumulative tree height and spread, cumulati
ve number of root suckers, yield, average fruit weight, yield efficien
cy, winter injury, cold hardiness, and tree survival. None of the clon
ally propagated rootstocks gave satisfactory overall performance. All
trees on GF655-2,80 % on GF677, 60 % Self-rooted, and 50 % on GF1869 w
ere dead by the eighth year. In addition, suckering was a major proble
m on GF1869 and a moderate problem on GF655-2. 'Citation' induced the
most scion dwarfing but had the lowest yields and low yield efficiency
. When yield, yield efficiency, fruit size, and tree mortality were co
nsidered together, the four peach seedling rootstocks performed better
than the other Prunus rootstocks and were ranked as follows: Siberian
C, Halford, Bailey, and Lovell. Of these, the first three could be re
commended with the most confidence to commercial growers who grow peac
hes on fine-textured soils in northern regions.