How true will a cutting (air layering) be if successful compared to a seedling from the fruit of that tree? Will it be true to the grafted scion that it was taken from or would she develop roots more like its root stock? Will air layering develop Ambrosia roots that will stop it from gradually turning toward the Nemaguard rootstock? or will she develop Nemaguard roots? I have a Ambrosia peach tree/Nemaguard rootstock. Quote: ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF THE VARIETY Asexual reproduction of `Edwards Ambrosia` peach was accomplished, in the same orchard, by grafting scion wood from the original seedling to Nemaguard rootstock which produced a small tree that produced many fruit 22 months from the graft date,that fruit identical in every way to the original parent. Grafts to a Rio Oso Gem tree and on another seedlings peach tree produced fruit identical to the original parent. All grafts were cleft grafts. I want to keep the Ambrosia aspect of the tree. Would the cutting from my Ambrosia peach tree/Nemaguard rootstock be a good choice for a root stock for a scion from my Ambrosia peach tree/Nemaguard rootstock to give me a plant more purer to the graft on my original plant? (I hope you understand that!) I guess I want to know who wins the purity test seed/cutting from my Ambrosia peach tree/Nemaguard rootstock? Please go into detail...I may not be able to talk it, but I could understand it (mostly!)
A cutting from an Abrosia peach tree will be genetically identical to the parent tree and will produce basically the same peaches as the parent. A seedling grown from an Ambrosia peach will be a new plant with only some of the genetics of the Ambrosia. The peaches may taste similar or may taste little like the Ambrosia. This is why we buy named cultivars. The genetics of Prunus persica 'Ambrosia' are superior and we want copies of that plant. Seeds of most fruiting trees produce plants very different from the parent. A cutting from the Ambrosia peach branch will produce a tree with Ambrosia roots. It will have no particular charactereistics of the Nemaguard rootstock. These are two genetically distinct trees attached together by humans. If you take a cutting of one, the other does not really affect the outcome. Ambrosia peaches apparently do not produce as good of root systems as the Nemaguard and Nemaguard does not produce fruit as desirable as the Ambrosia. That is why they were put together. If you want to grow some of your peach seedlings, this can be a fun project. Peaches are more likely to produce a tasty fruit from a chance cross than many other fruits. It will take a while for the trees to bare--years, but you never know, you may end up with next 'Ambrosia'. (PS: I don't know of a Prunus persica 'Ambrosia'. But, used that as an example for a cultivar name based on MIKEY1TWO's post.)
