Effects of seedling and clonal West Indian rootstocks irrigated with recycled water on ‘Hass’ avocado yield, fruit weight and alternate bearing

Figures & data

Table 1. Rootstocks.

	Race	Propagation method	Origin	Nursery
Rootstock
Ashdot 17	West Indian	Seed	Israel	Haskelberg Nursery
Degania 117		Seed	Israel	Haskelberg Nursery
Degania 113		Seed	Israel	Rahan Meristem
Fairchild		Seed	Florida, USA	Haskelberg Nursery
VC28		Vegetative	Israel	Haskelberg Nursery
VC66		Vegetative	Israel	Haskelberg Nursery
VC51		Vegetative	Israel	Haskelberg Nursery
VC26		Vegetative	Israel	Haskelberg Nursery
VC27		Vegetative	Israel	Haskelberg Nursery

Table 2. Experimental orchards.

	Gesher Haziv	Afek
Orchard location
Coordinates	33°02'33''N 35°07'14''E	32°50'16''N 35°08'57''E
Altitude (m a.s.l.)	20	30
Soil
Lime (%)	20–30	1–5
Clay (%)	50	60
Irrigation
Irrigation rate (m^3 year ^−1 ha ^−1)	8,500	9,000
Chloride (mg l ^−1)	200	230–260
Nitrate (ppm)	<10	<10
Potassium (ppm)	25	30–35
EC (dS m^−1)	1.1-1.4	1.3-1.5
Fertilisation
Nitrogen (units ha ^−1)	300	300
Potassium oxide (units ha ^−1)	350	350
Phosphorus (units ha ^−1)	30	30
Orchard structure
Planting spacing between rows (m)	6	5
Planting spacing between trees (m)	4	2.5
Tree density (trees ha ^−1)	420	800
Tree row orientation	north-south	east-west

Figure 1. Effect of rootstocks on avocado yearly yield (A), fruit weight (B), and alternate bearing index (ABI) (C) at Afek experimental site during six consecutive growing seasons. ‘Hass’ scions were grafted on eight different rootstocks and planted in the Afek orchard in 2009 at a density of 800 trees ha⁻¹. Data were collected during six consecutive growing seasons, from 2013–2014–2018–2019. A, Yield values are means ± SE of four repeats (n = 4), at least 11 trees in each repeat. B, Fruit weight values are means ± SE of eight different trees for each rootstock (n = 8). C, ABI values were calculated for each pair of consecutive growing seasons: seasons 1–2 (2013–2014 and 2014–2015), 2–3 (2014–2015 and 2015–2016), 3–4 (2015–2016 and 2016–2017), 4–5 (2016–2017 and 2017–2018) and 5–6 (2017–2018 and 2018–2019). Values are means ± SE of four repeats (n = 4) in each year, at least 11 trees in each repeat. Columns marked with different letters differ significantly by Tukey–HSD, p < 0.05.

Figure 2. Effect of rootstocks on avocado multiyear (over 6 years) mean yields (A) and alternate bearing index (ABI) (B) at Afek experimental site. A, Yield values are means ± SE of six (n = 6) consecutive yearly yields. B, ABI values are means ± SE of five (n = 5) consecutive biennial ABI values. Dashed line indicates the multiyear average ABI value of all rootstocks.

Figure 3. Effect of rootstocks on avocado yearly yield (A), fruit weight (B), and alternate bearing index (ABI) (C) at Gesher Haziv experimental site during six consecutive growing seasons. ‘Hass’ scions were grafted on eight different rootstocks and planted in the Gesher Haziv orchard in 2009 at a density of 420 trees ha⁻¹. Data were collected during six consecutive growing seasons, from 2013–2014–2018–2019. A, Yield values are means ± SE of four repeats (n = 4), at least 15 trees in each repeat. B, Fruit weight values are means ± SE of eight different trees for each rootstock (n = 8). C, ABI values were calculated for each pair of consecutive growing seasons: seasons 1–2 (2013–2014 and 2014–2015), 2–3 (2014–2015 and 2015–2016), 3–4 (2015–2016 and 2016–2017), 4–5 (2016–2017 and 2017–2018) and 5–6 (2017–2018 and 2018–2019). Values are means ± SE of four repeats (n = 4) in each year, at least 15 trees in each repeat. Columns marked with different letters differ significantly by Tukey-HSD, p < 0.05.

Figure 4. Effect of rootstocks on avocado multiyear (over 6 years) mean yields (A) and alternate bearing index (ABI) (B) at Gesher Haziv experimental site. A, Yield values are means ± SE of six (n = 6) consecutive yearly yields. B, ABI values are means ± SE of five (n = 5) consecutive biennial ABI values. Dashed line indicates the multiyear average ABI value of all rootstocks.