Advances in Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) Rootstocks Worldwide

Studies on hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) rootstocks have been limited to date. However, the use of vigorous, non-suckering rootstocks for this species could increase the cost-effectiveness of orchards by reducing the annual need to prune suckers, thus facilitating mechanical harvesting, and reducing orchard management costs and environmental impact. Seedlings of the non-suckering Turkish tree hazel (C. colurna L.) have been used traditionally in Serbia. In the 1970s, the United States Department of Agriculture in Corvallis, Oregon (USA) released the first two non-suckering clonal rootstocks-'Dundee' and 'Newberg'-from open-pollinated seeds of C. colurna. Moreover, selection of C. avellana cvs. with few suckers is continuing. Trials carried out in different countries with own-rooted and grafted plants have shown good performance of grafted hazelnuts. Currently, some nurseries in several countries are propagating hazelnut rootstocks and grafting trees for planting commercial orchards. Interest in these cultivar/rootstock combinations is increasing, and more new orchards of grafted trees are expected to be planted in the coming years.

Automated summary

Research on hazelnut rootstocks is limited, but using non-suckering rootstocks can increase orchard cost-effectiveness by reducing pruning needs, facilitating mechanical harvesting, and lowering management costs and environmental impact. Trials in different countries have shown good performance of grafted hazelnuts, leading to increased interest in these cultivar/rootstock combinations and the expectation of more new orchards being planted in the near future.