In this article:

Problems associated with high vigour rootstocks currently used for dried fruit production include inconsistent yield and negative impacts on quality, ie. skin fragility in processing and potential of lighter coloured dried grapes to darken in storage. High vigour-imparting rootstocks may also not be the best suited to low-input mechanised production methods.

This project has aimed to develop a smarter, focussed approach to the breeding and selection of rootstocks based on knowledge of the inheritance of key rootstock characteristics enabling improved prediction of outcomes. The main objectives were:

To collect and analyse data of essential rootstock characteristics and determine their modes of inheritance.
Where necessary, refine screening tests to enable reliable and accurate data acquisition.
To identify candidate hybrids for second phase evaluation, and for use as parents for next generation crosses.

(Project no. DG03008 and DG99003)

A systematic approach to breeding

DG99003 & DG03008_complete A systematic approach to breeding etc rootstocks Peter C

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