MP-29 Peach Rootstock

MP-29 Peach Rootstock is a patented, clonally propagated peach-plum hybrid developed for use as a rootstock beneath compatible peach cultivars. It was selected for its moderate size control, productive performance, and resistance to several important soilborne problems affecting peach trees in the southeastern United States.

MP-29 is intended for professional nursery production, orchard establishment, and experienced growers who plan to bud or graft a named peach variety onto the rootstock. It is not an edible peach variety and does not produce usable fruit.

When used beneath a compatible peach cultivar, MP-29 can produce a smaller, more manageable tree than standard vigorous peach rootstocks. Field trials found that trees on MP-29 were approximately 60% to 65% of the size of comparable trees on Guardian rootstock while maintaining good productivity and yield efficiency.

Rootstock Details

• Botanical Classification: Interspecific Prunus hybrid
• Cultivar Name: ‘MP-29’
• Product Type: Clonal peach rootstock
• Parentage: ‘Edible Sloe’ plum hybrid × ‘SL0014’ peach
• Primary Use: Rootstock for budding or grafting peach cultivars
• Growth Habit: Semi-spreading
• Vigor: Semi-dwarf to moderately size-controlling
• Size Control: Approximately 30% to 40% less vigor than a standard peach rootstock; final size depends on the scion, soil, climate, spacing, pruning, and orchard management
• Foliage: Distinctive reddish foliage similar in appearance to Flordaguard
• Chill Requirement: Approximately 750 chill hours
• Fruit Production: Does not produce usable fruit
• Pollination: Not applicable; grown as rootstock rather than for flowers or fruit
• Rootstock Form: Clonally propagated rather than grown from seed
• Best Use: Nursery production, grafting projects, commercial trials, specialty orchards, and experienced backyard fruit-tree growers
• Patent: U.S. Plant Patent PP23,583
• Licensing Reference: FFSP LIC45-011

Disease and Nematode Resistance

MP-29 was selected for resistance to several serious peach-tree problems found in the Southeast.

Research and field testing have shown resistance or improved tolerance to:

• Armillaria root rot
• Peach tree short life and bacterial canker complex
• Southern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita
• Florida root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne floridensis

Resistance does not mean that a tree is immune to disease, nematodes, poor drainage, or other environmental problems. Proper site selection, soil preparation, sanitation, irrigation, and orchard management are still important.

Tree Size and Productivity

MP-29 provides moderate control over the vigor of the peach variety grafted onto it. In central Georgia trials, peach trees grown on MP-29 developed trunks approximately 60% to 65% of the size of trees grown on Guardian rootstock.

Trees on MP-29 produced good yields relative to their smaller size and demonstrated strong yield efficiency. Actual performance will vary according to the grafted peach variety, climate, soil, irrigation, pruning, spacing, and management practices.

The mature height cannot be stated without knowing which peach cultivar will be grafted onto the rootstock. MP-29 influences vigor, but the scion variety and the grower’s pruning system also determine the finished tree’s height and spread.

Grafting and Budding Information

MP-29 is intended to be budded or grafted with a compatible peach cultivar. It should not be purchased by customers expecting it to produce a named peach variety on its own.

The rootstock has demonstrated compatibility with multiple peach cultivars in testing. Compatibility and long-term performance should still be evaluated when using it with a cultivar or stone-fruit species that has not been well tested on MP-29.

For best results:

• Keep the rootstock actively growing and healthy before budding
• Use clean, properly stored budwood or scion wood
• Make the graft or bud union above the soil line
• Remove shoots that emerge from below the graft union
• Clearly label every grafted tree with the scion variety
• Protect newly grafted plants from drought and excessive fertilizer
• Do not bury the graft union when planting the finished tree

North Florida Growing Note

MP-29 was developed for southeastern peach-growing conditions and offers resistance to several problems that can occur in warm, humid climates. However, FFSP lists the rootstock itself as having an approximately 750-hour chill requirement, and UF/IFAS reports that it remains under field evaluation for commercial use in Florida.

Growers in North Florida and the Florida Panhandle should evaluate MP-29 in their specific location before relying on it for a large commercial planting. Rootstock performance can be affected by winter chill, soil type, drainage, nematode populations, the selected peach scion, and orchard management.

For commercial plantings, growers should consult current UF/IFAS recommendations or their local Extension office before selecting a rootstock.

Important Rootstock Notice

This product is sold as rootstock plant material for budding or grafting. It will not produce the peach variety shown or desired unless a compatible named peach cultivar is successfully grafted or budded onto it.

MP-29 is a patented and licensed cultivar. Unauthorized asexual propagation is prohibited. Purchase of plant material does not automatically include propagation rights. Commercial propagators should confirm that all applicable patent and licensing requirements have been met.

Local Pickup and Limited Shipping

MP-29 Peach Rootstock may be available for local pickup at our nursery in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Available sizes and quantities may change throughout the propagation season.

Limited shipping may be available for select liners, rooted cuttings, or smaller starter plants. Please contact us before placing an order that requires shipping. Shipping charges are calculated separately and are not included in the product price.

Wholesale Availability

Wholesale quantities may be available for qualified nurseries, fruit-tree growers, farms, orchardists, and other plant-related businesses. Availability, sizes, minimum quantities, and pricing may change throughout the year. Please contact us for current wholesale information.

Advanced Nursery Growers LLC
1911 McLeod Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435
Phone: (850) 391-2228
Email: info@advancednurserygrowers.com