Leon Jahae, Top Fruit Consultancy, Gloucestershire (Great Britain):
‘Q-Eline is our first choice for Conference’
“As a top fruit consultant I am involved in setting up Conference orchards on Q-Eline in Great Britain. We carried out our first trials in 2006. They showed that Q-Eline produces well-shaped, smooth pears of a good size. The rootstock is also very productive; the trees start producing more readily and sometimes also earlier than trees grafted on Adams quinces. There are moreover fewer or no compatibility problems of the kind that we get with C quinces in Great Britain. On top of this, the trees are ideal for small orchards.
A disadvantage is that the rootstock is not always that vital, making irrigation and/or fertigation essential on many British soils. Another aspect that must be given adequate attention is fertilisation, but that holds for C quinces too. Providing sufficient water is available in areas with the right type of soil, Q-Eline is our first choice for Conference.”
Josi Vanmuysen, cultivation supervisor at Fyto Vrancken, Gutschoven (Belgium):
‘Q-Eline is set to become the standard pear rootstock’
“In 2005 the first trial trees were planted on a large scale in Belgium. The rootstock was soon found to be a lot more frost-tolerant than Adams and C quinces. Q-Eline also produces far more attractive and smoother pears – a great advantage in the case of the fairly russeted Conference in particular.
There are no incompatibility problems with Q-Eline and the rootstock is moreover more productive than Adams and C quinces. Growers are very satisfied with the rootstock; the demand now exceeds the supply. I think Q-Eline is set to become the standard pear rootstock in the next ten years.”
Gerard Poldervaart, European Fruit Magazine (the Netherlands):
‘Greater frost resistance and better skin quality’
“The first trees grafted on Q-Eline rootstocks were planted at the former experimental nursery in Wilhelminadorp in 1993. One of the reasons for this trial was that this rootstock was expected to be more frost-resistant. And this proved to be absolutely true during the severe frost we had in the spring of 2012.
Various trials moreover showed that trees grafted on Q-Eline produce Conference pears with less bronze colouring than trees grafted on MC quinces. So Q-Eline offers nurseries producing pears with too much bronze colouring the added advantage of a better skin quality on top of the greater frost resistance.”
Jef Vercammen, managing-director of the Proeftuin Pit- en Steenfruit (experimental garden for hard fruit/stone fruit), Sint-Truiden (Belgium):
‘Q-Eline may have added value’
“In the spring of 2007 we planted Conference pear trees grafted on Q-Eline quinces in our experimental garden in order to compare them with Conference grafted on C quinces. The Q-Eline quinces’ greater frost tolerance and better skin quality proved to be major advantages. The growth was also better, as was the mineral composition of the pears. The on average larger fruits are the result of lower production. This lower production and the associated greater vigour are two important aspects calling for attention. Providing a production level comparable with that of C quinces can ultimately be obtained, Q-Eline quinces may absolutely have added value.”
Dave Weil, Tree Connection, Dundee (United States):
‘The rootstock is productive and very winter-hardy in the United States’
“We are involved in Q-Eline as the main licensee in the United States, and we coordinate the distribution and sale of the rootstock under the United States Plant Patent 19562.
The first trials that were carried out here showed that Q-Eline is productive and winter-hardy and produces pears of a good quality and size. If further trials confirm that Q-Eline grows well over here and produces good pears, the rootstock will in the future be very suitable for our new high-density orchards. We are now supplying rootstocks to growers for further trials in the United States.”
Ronald Vermeulen, agronomist at The Greenery, Barendrecht (the Netherlands):
‘Q-Eline may be of great value for our Sweet Sensation concept’
“Sweet Sensation is a relatively new pear variety whose global rights are managed by The Greenery. Our aim in our Sweet Sensation concept is to use worldwide standards to keep everything as simple as possible. This includes the best rootstock. Although the introduction of a new variety is always a long process and we haven’t yet gained that much experience with Sweet Sensation grafted on Q-Eline quinces, our first impressions are positive. For a start, the trees grow better than on the standard MC or BA 29 rootstocks. Other major advantages are the better production and quality of the rootstocks in the stool beds. So I expect that Q-Eline will have a favourable effect on the productivity, vitality and fruit quality of our Sweet Sensation, and will therefore be of great value for our Sweet Sensation concept.”
Bram Versprille, former manager of Vermeerderingstuinen Nederland (Propagation Nurseries of the Netherlands):
‘This rootstock definitely deserves to be used in practice’
“The first trees grafted on Q-Eline rootstocks were planted at the former experimental nursery in Wilhelminadorp in 1993. One of the reasons for this trial was that this rootstock was expected to be more frost-resistant. And this proved to be absolutely true during the severe frost we had in the spring of 2012.
Various trials moreover showed that trees grafted on Q-Eline produce Conference pears with less bronze colouring than trees grafted on MC quinces. So Q-Eline offers nurseries producing pears with too much bronze colouring the added advantage of a better skin quality on top of the greater frost resistance.”
Gerhard Baab, Dienstleistungszentrum Ländlicher Raum Rheinpfalz, Rheinbach (Germany):
‘Homogeneous growth and good yields are also great assets’
“We carried out a rootstock trial using the pear variety Lucas grafted on Q-Eline. Q-Eline’s frost resistance is a great advantage, as is its good growth, which is less good than that of A quinces, but better than that of C quinces. The homogeneous growth and good yields are also great assets. I definitely see promising opportunities for areas susceptible to frost and for soils that are not too demanding. In such areas Q-Eline will certainly have added value.”