Effect of drought stress on growth reduction and biomass accumulation in several hybrid apple rootstock genotypes

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Scientific staff of Horticulture Department, Temperate Fruits Research Center, Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extention (AREEO), P.O.Box. 4119, Karaj, 31585, Iran.

2 Instructor, Temperate Fruits Research Center, Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extention (AREEO), P.O.Box. 4119, Karaj, 31585, Iran.

10.30466/rip.2025.55706.1330

Abstract

To select drought-tolerant rootstocks and identify the mechanisms underlying drought-stress tolerance, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications using one-year-old potted plants. The experiment included 11 hybrid apple rootstock genotypes, AR1 to AR11, and the clonal rootstock MM111 as a drought-tolerant control, under two irrigation levels corresponding to 40 and 80% of the available soil water. The results showed that under drought stress, rootstock genotypes AR8, AR10, and AR11, which exhibited the lowest growth rate and aboveground biomass but appropriate root length and the highest root-to-shoot dry weight ratio, were most similar to the drought-tolerant MM111 rootstock. Considering the physiological and morphological characteristics evaluated in the present study, it can be concluded that rootstock genotypes AR8, AR10, and AR11 employ a drought-avoidance mechanism through reducing transpiring surface area and aboveground biomass, developing a relatively small but deep and structurally strong root system, and increasing the root-to-shoot weight ratio.

Keywords

References

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Research in Pomology
Volume 10, Issue 2
March 2026
Pages 22-32

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