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Glad to have given you ideas, Mell. 
Certainly there are scion-rootstock combinations that work better (or worse).
Hardly surprising, given that we're forcing two different trees to become one.
Many people have speculated that the scion doesn't always get quite what it needs from being grafted to a rootstock.
As I may have mentioned once or twice before, I seem to find that rootstock has other effects on the scion.
Examples, *relative* to MM106 (from my observations)
M25:
Later flowering, by about a week.
Later to drop leaves in autumn, by a week.
Slightly better scion resistance to mildew.
Slightly reduced scion resistance to scab.
Slightly later-ripening and slightly sweeter fruits.
Slightly affects scion growth habit - more of a solidly-built, spreading tree.
Like the above-ground part of the tree, the roots are thick and spreading.
MM111:
Slightly later flowering, by a few days.
Slightly earlier leaf fall, by a few days.
Slightly affects scion growth - quite a tall, slender-branched, upright tree (slender twigs is why I don't have much good graftwood on my First and Last at the moment).
Has a large number of fine, fibrous roots: good for soaking up water and nutrients.
Like the above-ground part of the tree, the roots are long and slender.
M26
Slightly later flowering, by a few days.
Slightly earlier leaf fall, by a few days.
Slightly earlier-ripening and slightly sharper-tasting fruits.
Slightly better scion resistance to scab.
Slightly reduced scion resistance to mildew.
Often has just one big main root that is somewhat easy to snap.
Root system is often one-sided and the tree may also become one-sided.
In addition, I've also seen upright-growing scions (e.g. Worcester) that seem to cause the rootstock to have a greater tendency to grow downwards and not spread as much. On the other hand, I've also seen spreading scions that cause the root system to spread more than it goes down.
But I'm willing to be wrong on some of the above: it's just that the above appear to be consistent trends in most seasons, given that I've often had two or three of the same variety but on different rootstocks.
Certainly there are scion-rootstock combinations that work better (or worse).
Hardly surprising, given that we're forcing two different trees to become one.
Many people have speculated that the scion doesn't always get quite what it needs from being grafted to a rootstock.
As I may have mentioned once or twice before, I seem to find that rootstock has other effects on the scion.
Examples, *relative* to MM106 (from my observations)
M25:
Later flowering, by about a week.
Later to drop leaves in autumn, by a week.
Slightly better scion resistance to mildew.
Slightly reduced scion resistance to scab.
Slightly later-ripening and slightly sweeter fruits.
Slightly affects scion growth habit - more of a solidly-built, spreading tree.
Like the above-ground part of the tree, the roots are thick and spreading.
MM111:
Slightly later flowering, by a few days.
Slightly earlier leaf fall, by a few days.
Slightly affects scion growth - quite a tall, slender-branched, upright tree (slender twigs is why I don't have much good graftwood on my First and Last at the moment).
Has a large number of fine, fibrous roots: good for soaking up water and nutrients.
Like the above-ground part of the tree, the roots are long and slender.
M26
Slightly later flowering, by a few days.
Slightly earlier leaf fall, by a few days.
Slightly earlier-ripening and slightly sharper-tasting fruits.
Slightly better scion resistance to scab.
Slightly reduced scion resistance to mildew.
Often has just one big main root that is somewhat easy to snap.
Root system is often one-sided and the tree may also become one-sided.
In addition, I've also seen upright-growing scions (e.g. Worcester) that seem to cause the rootstock to have a greater tendency to grow downwards and not spread as much. On the other hand, I've also seen spreading scions that cause the root system to spread more than it goes down.
But I'm willing to be wrong on some of the above: it's just that the above appear to be consistent trends in most seasons, given that I've often had two or three of the same variety but on different rootstocks.
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