Article ID: UTD-358
We aimed to determine the suitability of ‘Reikodai 1 go’ (BC1 from interspecific hybridization of Ficus carica L. and F. erecta Thunb.) as a ceratocystis canker disease-resistant rootstock for ‘Masui Dauphine’ fig. In this study, ‘Masui Dauphine’ was grafted onto ‘Reikodai 1 go’ and grown in 45 L pots under artificial soil infestation with Ceratocystis ficicola Kajitani et Masuya. Ceratocystis canker resistance, tree growth, and fruit production was assessed by comparing scion growth and fruit production in ‘Reikodai 1 go’-grafted and ‘Masui Dauphine’ own-rooted trees. No significant differences in the initial growth of the shoots (first year of planting) was observed between ‘Reikodai 1 go’-grafted and own-rooted trees. ‘Reikodai 1 go’-grafted trees demonstrated a tendency towards scion overgrowth. Soil inoculation with C. ficicola (nine times in three years; 2 L of suspension with 105 conidia/mL per pot) resulted in the death, or inhibited growth, of own-rooted trees. However, inoculated ‘Reikodai 1 go’-grafted trees revealed no growth inhibition and had growth similar to those of non-inoculated own-rooted and non-inoculated ‘Reikodai 1 go’-grafted trees. These results suggest that ‘Reikodai 1 go’-grafted trees were highly resistant to soil infestation with C. ficicola. No significant differences were observed between ‘Reikodai 1 go’-grafted trees with or without C. ficicola inoculation in terms of fruit production (considering fruit set, date of maturation, fruit length, width, fruit weight, estimated yield, skin color, and soluble solids content). When comparing fruit production of ‘Reikodai 1 go’-grafted and own-rooted trees, no differences were observed between the two in terms of fruit characteristics. Therefore, the use of ‘Reikodai 1 go’ as a rootstock is unlikely to cause considerable problems in the fruit production of ‘Masui Dauphine’ fig trees. Overall, shoot growth and fruit production of ‘Masui Dauphine’ grafted onto ‘Reikodai 1 go’ were not significantly different from those of the own-rooted trees. Therefore, it is expected that the introduction of ‘Reikodai 1 go’ rootstock for ‘Masui Dauphine’ production will be an effective approach for controlling ceratocystis canker.
