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Horticulturae
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Effect of Rootstock on Fruit Production and Quality
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Effect of Rootstock on Fruit Production and Quality

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Fruit Production Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 May 2026) | Viewed by 5753

Editors

Dr. Maria Aparecida Da Cruz Bejatto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Agronomia, Universidade Estadual de Londrina—UEL, Londrina 86057-970, Brazil
Interests: fruit production system; seed physiology; rootstock–scion interaction; fruit quality; postharvest management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Deived Uilian de Carvalho

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Southwest Florida Research Center and Education, University of Florida, Immokalee, FL 34142, USA
Interests: horticulture; citrus physiology; nursery propagation; seed physiology; scion-rootstock field performance; fruit maturation and quality; postharvest handling and storage
Dr. Rui Pereira Leite Junior

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto de Desenvolvimento Rural do Paraná (IDR-Paraná), km 375 Celso Garcia Cid Road, Londrina 86047-902, PR, Brazil
Interests: sweet orange; rootstock; crop; disease

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rootstock plays a critical role in modulating various physiological and agronomic traits of fruit trees, including vegetative growth, fruit yield and quality, canopy vigor and architecture, and resistance or tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress factors, enhancing resistance to pests, diseases, and environmental factors like drought, salinity, or temperature extremes. 

Rootstocks can directly affect nutrient uptake and water regulation, which influence the vigor, size, and health of the tree, as well as its fruit-bearing potential. Understanding the complex mechanisms of scion–rootstock interactions is essential for improving agricultural practices and ensuring sustainable fruit production. Consequently, the appropriate selection of rootstock is essential to enable the scion cultivar to express its full productive potential.

This Special Issue aims to explore the rootstock–scion interaction and its impact on the agronomic performance of the scion, with an emphasis on plant growth, fruit yield and quality, adaptability under field conditions, pest and disease resistance, and postharvest longevity. We invite researchers to submit original studies and comprehensive reviews that address these key aspects of scion–rootstock interactions, encompassing both physiological and agronomic perspectives.

Dr. Maria Aparecida Da Cruz Bejatto
Dr. Deived Uilian de Carvalho
Dr. Rui Pereira Leite Junior
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • scion–rootstock combination
  • rootstock–scion interaction
  • fruit quality
  • fruit yield
  • graft compatibility
  • nutrient uptake
  • plant vigor
  • biotic and abiotic stress
  • pest and disease resistance
  • postharvest quality

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 2826 KB  
Article
Effects of Rootstock Selection on Growth, Yield, and Fruit Quality of ‘IAPAR 73’ Sweet Orange Under Subtropical Conditions
by Deived Uilian de Carvalho, Maria Aparecida da Cruz-Bejatto, Ronan Carlos Colombo, Inês Fumiko Ubukata Yada, Rui Pereira Leite Junior and Zuleide Hissano Tazima
Horticulturae 2026, 12(5), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12050542 - 29 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1841
Abstract
Rootstock strongly influences citrus tree performance, but information remains limited for some regionally important cultivars. ‘IAPAR 73’, an early-season sweet orange commonly grown in Paraná, Brazil, has not been previously evaluated for rootstock responses. This study assessed the long-term effects of nine rootstocks, [...] Read more.
Rootstock strongly influences citrus tree performance, but information remains limited for some regionally important cultivars. ‘IAPAR 73’, an early-season sweet orange commonly grown in Paraná, Brazil, has not been previously evaluated for rootstock responses. This study assessed the long-term effects of nine rootstocks, including ‘Rangpur’ lime, ‘Swingle’ citrumelo, ‘Volkamer’ lemon, ‘Caipira DAC’ and ‘Trifoliate’ oranges, ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Sunki’ mandarins, ‘Carrizo’ and ‘Fepagro C-13’ citranges, on vegetative growth, yield, production stability, and fruit quality under Brazilian subtropical conditions. Tree growth was monitored annually for 10 years (2003–2013) and analyzed at establishment (5 years) and full production (10 years) phases of the orchard. Yield and fruit quality were evaluated across multiple harvests, and total soluble solids (TSS) stability was quantified using the coefficient of variation. Rootstock effects were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models in a randomized complete block design, considering rootstock and year as fixed effects and blocks as random effects. Rootstock significantly influenced all evaluated traits. ‘Carrizo’, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Sunki’, and ‘Caipira DAC’ induced vigorous canopy growth and higher cumulative yields to the scion, while ‘Volkamer’ showed high yield efficiency and production stability. ‘Swingle’ and ‘Trifoliate’ enhanced TSS, TSS/TA ratios, and juice quality stability but induced lower vigor and yield, similar to ‘Rangpur’. This study provides the first evidence-based guidance for ‘IAPAR 73’ production, demonstrating that rootstock diversification can maximize productivity, stability, and sustainability in citrus orchards. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Rootstock on Fruit Production and Quality)
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16 pages, 839 KB  
Article
Passifloraceae Rootstock Performance Against Soil Pathogens in Yellow Passion Fruit Crops (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Degener)
by Jenny Calderón-González, Eliana Granja-Guerra, William Viera-Arroyo, Wilson Vásquez-Castillo, Jessica Sanmiguel, Jimmy Pico and Yadira Vargas-Tierras
Horticulturae 2026, 12(3), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12030360 - 15 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1861
Abstract
The response of five Passiflora species as rootstocks for yellow passion fruit was evaluated against the Meloidogyne incognita complex and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. passiflorae. Individual, sequential, and simultaneous inoculations were applied, quantifying disease severity, nematode reproduction (RF), biomass, and plant vigour. In [...] Read more.
The response of five Passiflora species as rootstocks for yellow passion fruit was evaluated against the Meloidogyne incognita complex and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. passiflorae. Individual, sequential, and simultaneous inoculations were applied, quantifying disease severity, nematode reproduction (RF), biomass, and plant vigour. In addition, integrated analysis was performed using the Combined Tolerance Index (CTI) to confirm the simultaneous interaction of the inoculation condition. The graft compatibility index (GCI) of the materials under study was also determined. The results showed critical functional differences; P. maliformis showed tolerance in terms of compensatory vigour but presented high susceptibility to the nematode and low graft affinity (GCI = 1.39). In contrast, P. platyloba emerged as the superior genotype, combining effective resistance to Meloidogyne (zero incidence at critical stages), excellent anatomical compatibility (deviation from the ideal of 0.04), and physiological stability superior to the control. Although P. nitida showed resilience in biomass under severe stress conditions, it is concluded that P. platyloba is the most promising alternative for use as rootstock. This is because its morphological affinity and health resistance ensure crop sustainability in field conditions and promote more sustainable agricultural practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Rootstock on Fruit Production and Quality)
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18 pages, 2044 KB  
Article
Field-Based Evaluation of Heat Tolerance in Sweet Cherry Rootstocks Reveals Integrated Morphological and Physiological Adaptation Mechanisms
by Huifeng Luo, Hui Liu, Jiabo Pei, Ruoxin Ruan, Chen Zhang, Dujun Xi, Yongping Li and Kangkang Huang
Horticulturae 2026, 12(2), 240; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12020240 - 17 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1356
Abstract
High summer temperatures increasingly constrain sweet cherry production, yet field-validated assessments of rootstock resilience remain scarce. To fill this gap, this study presents a pioneering multidimensional evaluation of five widely used sweet cherry rootstocks (Gisela 6, Gisela 12, Krymsk 5, Colt, and Lanting) [...] Read more.
High summer temperatures increasingly constrain sweet cherry production, yet field-validated assessments of rootstock resilience remain scarce. To fill this gap, this study presents a pioneering multidimensional evaluation of five widely used sweet cherry rootstocks (Gisela 6, Gisela 12, Krymsk 5, Colt, and Lanting) under prolonged natural heat stress. Morphological traits, leaf anatomical characteristics, antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, POD), lipid peroxidation (MDA), phytohormones (ABA and JA), and osmotic regulators were assessed. Traits with high coefficients of variation, including POD activity, ABA, JA, and soluble protein content, were identified as sensitive indicators of heat stress. Lanting exhibited the strongest heat tolerance, characterized by thicker leaves, fewer heat-induced lesions, and enhanced antioxidant capacity, whereas Gisela 6 showed severe leaf abscission, elevated MDA and ABA accumulation, and the weakest defense capacity. Correlation analysis indicated that root sucker number was positively associated with SOD activity and soluble sugar content, suggesting a potential role of whole-plant carbon allocation in mitigating oxidative stress. Using the Entropy Weight–TOPSIS model, we provided a robust ranking that identifies Lanting and Colt as superior heat-resilient genotypes. The results provide a field-validated framework that bridges the gap between controlled-environment theory and practical orchard management, offering critical guidance for expanding sweet cherry cultivation into high-temperature regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Rootstock on Fruit Production and Quality)
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