Monografia dei Portinnesti dei Fruttiferi (Book on Fruit Tree Rootstocks). Carlo Fideghelli and Filberto Loretti (eds.). 2009. Agricultural Research Council, Via Nazionale 82 - 00184 Rome. 239 p.

In recent years rootstocks are playing an increasingly important role in modern tree fruit culture. This action is particularly true as trees are planted at much higher densities and they are managed more intensively. Control of vegetative growth and productivity through rootstock selection plays an important role in tree management. There are few places where students, growers, extension personnel, and researchers can get a comprehensive description of rootstocks for temperate fruit crops. This compendium of rootstocks is an excellent resource for this information. The book contains an eclectic collection of seedlings, hybrids, and clonal selections of popular rootstocks.

All rootstock descriptions are presented in Italian and English. The descriptions are authored by good and knowledgeable pomologists in Italy. The rootstock descriptions are grouped into sections including: stone fruit, seedling, plum, peach x almond hybrids, other hybrids, and cherry. Many, but not all, of the currently used rootstocks are described in this book.

The description of each rootstock follows a very similar format. A colored photograph or drawing of a vegetative shoot and dormant one-year-old wood accompanies each rootstock. The quality of these illustrations is very good. For most peach and almond rootstocks, flowers and seeds also are shown. The origin and a brief history of each selection are provided. The dwarfing characteristics and descriptions of foliated and dormant shoot and root system are provided. Propagation characteristics such as ease of rooting, stratification requirements, seed germination success, preferred methods of propagation, and suggested times for most effective vegetative propagation are given. Sensitivity to abiotic and biotic stress is mentioned. The performance of grafted trees is critiqued. The species for which the rootstock can be used is identified. Each rootstock description concludes with an overall summary and evaluation of each rootstock including suggested planting density.

The rootstock information presented should be most useful to extension personnel, growers, and research staff. It could also be a valuable reference for the identification of rootstocks and a resource to review quickly the attributes and shortcomings of potential choices when making a selection of rootstocks for propagation of fruit trees. The authors should be contacted for availability of the publication at Via Fioranello, 52, 00134, Rome.

Duane W.GreenePlant, Soil, and Insect Sciences University of Massachusetts, Amherst