Pistachio rootstocks
Elizabeth J. Fichtner
Farm Advisor: nuts, prunes, olives
UCCE Tulare and Kings Counties
What is a rootstock?
The trunk or roots into which the scion material is inserted.
Juncture of rootstock and scion is called the graft union.
graft union
Photo: Ferguson
T- bud is most common
method used to bud
pistachio scion onto
rootstock.
The shield is cut from
the budstick and
inserted into a T-cut on
the rootstock.
Trees planted in
Spring are budded
in August Illustration: aggie-horticlulture.tamu.edu
Why use a rootstock?
● Enhanced freeze tolerance
● Disease or pest tolerance
● Adapted for soil and water quality
● Horticultural properties
Pistachio rootstocks generally
planted in advance of budding
Walnuts are typically budded in the
nursery and sold as budded trees
Budded pistachio trees available,
but less common.
Rootstocks and the California Pistachio Industry
Family Anacardiaceae (cashew family)
Genus Pistacia
16 Species
Commercial scion:
Pistacia vera
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● 14,000 acres planted in Kern County from
1969-1975
● P. atlantica and P. terebinthus rootstock
●No planting 1975-1980.
● P. integerrima seedling rootstock= “new
hope and momentum”
Latin ‘integerrima’ : incorruptible, sound, unimpaired or having great
vitality and force.
1980
P. integerrima -- germplasm repository—Winters, CA
Photo: John Preese USDA
Photo: L. Ferguson
Verticillium wilt
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Verticillium wilt
Soilborne fungus: Verticillium dahliae
Wide host range: over 300 plants
Common crops affected in California include:
cotton, solanaceae, cucurbitae, strawberry.
Persist decades
Land-use history affects risk of Vert.
Early Verticillium problems on pistachio
were largely associated with cotton.
Microsclerotia/g soil
Virgin land………………………………….. Trace levels
1 year cotton………………………………. <0.5
3 year cotton……………………………….5-8
Tree Mortality (%)
Virgin land………………………………….. 0.4%
1 year cotton………………………………. <0.5%
3 year cotton……………………………….5-8%
Ashworth et al 1976
Almond farm calls in late May
Commercial rootstocks in California (1970s to present)
Species
Rootstock Name Characteristic
P. terebinthus Terebinthus Verticillium Susceptible
P. atlantica Atlantica Verticillium Susceptible
P. integerrima PG1 Verticillium Resistant;
Frost Sensitive; Seedling
Interspecies hybrids
P. atlantica ‘KAC’ UCB-1 Verticillium Resistant; Frost
x P. integerrima Tolerant; Salinity tolerance;
Seedling; Clone
P. integerrima x P. Platinum® Verticillium resistant selection
atlantica clonally propagated
Slide: L. Ferguson
Pistachio Rootstocks may be propagated sexually
(seedlings) or asexually (clones).
Seedling rootstock production
Clonal rootstock production
Photo: L. Ferguson
Photo: L. Ferguson Photo: NA Plants Photo: Tissue Grown
Seedling production
Pistacia sp. are dioecious; trees wind pollinated.
Controlled crosses necessary 21
Pollen collected at anthesis
Stored in freezer.
To produce UCB-1 seed:
1. Collect pollen from
Integerrima and store.
2. Apply pollen to Atlantica
female tree at bloom
several weeks later.
Female flowers (Atlantica) are protected for controlled
pollination
P. atlantica ‘KAC’ mother UCB-1 seed resulting from cross
Photo: L. Ferguso
25
Photo: L. Ferguson
Photo: L. Ferguson 27
Photo: L. Ferguson 28
UCB-1 seedling population
Variability and Diversity
Choice rootstocks from seedling populations may
be selected for asexual (cloning) propagation.
Selections made for: a) vigor, b) disease resistance,
c) compatibility with scions, d) tolerance to soil and
water conditions
Pistachio Rootstock Tissue Culture
● Rapid multiplication of plants.
● Axillary bud proliferation
employed.
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Photo: Tissue Grown
What is micropropagation?
Micropropagation is the practice of rapidly multiplying stock
plant material to produce a large number of progeny plants,
using plant tissue culture.
Proliferation of Axillary Buds:
● Meristematic-based proliferation system
(adventitious systems = higher mutation risk)
● Approximately 5x proliferation per month (more possible,
but increases risk of epigenetic variation).
G.C. Phillips and J.F. Hubstenberger, 2013. Micropropagation by
Proliferation of Axillary Buds. In: Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture,
Fundamental Methods, Eds. Gamborg and Phillips, Springer, 2013.
Personal Communication: C. Sluis, Tissue Grown
What is axillary bud proliferation?
Photo: Tissue Grown
Photo: NA Plants
Photo: NA Plants
Pistachio rootstocks can be
asexually propagated:
• Tissue culture or cloning
• Advantage: uniformity
• Disadvantage: susceptibility
• Uniform susceptibility to pathogens,
pests and stresses
Slide: L. Ferguson 35
Rootstock Selection
Species
Rootstock Name Characteristic
P. integerrima PG1 Verticillium Resistant;
Frost Sensitive; Seedling
Interspecies hybrids
P. atlantica ‘KAC’ UCB-1 Verticillium Resistant; Frost
x P. integerrima Tolerant; Salinity tolerance;
Seedling; Clone
P. integerrima x P. Platinum® Verticillium resistant selection
atlantica clonally propagated
California Pistachio Rootstock
Trials:
1989 - 2002
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L. Ferguson
San Joaquin Valley
Pistachio Rootstock Trials
1989 - 2002
Freeze tolerance
December 1990: 11 nights @ 4-12 F
12/1990: 11 nights @ 4-12* F
Integerrima 41% mortality
Atlantica seedling No mortality
PG2 seedling 3% mortality
UCB1 seedling No mortality
* Seedling population; not same as currently utilized Platinum® clone 38
Cumulative marketable yield from female pistachio trees that
survived through 2002 in a trial in Verticillium dahliae-infested soil in
the SJV
*seedling population
seedling
* Seedling population not same as clonal population currently sold as Platinum®
Epstein et al, 2004
Potential Nematode Problems
Limited data on nematodes on pistachio
Observationally Present, but no symptoms observed:
Lesion (Pratylenchus vulnus)
Root knot (Meloidogyne sp.)
Stubby root (Trichodorous sp.
Ring (Mesocrichonema sp.)
No root knot galls observed on pistachio.
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Elizabeth J. Fichtner
UCCE Tulare and Kings Counties
[email protected]
