Trunk cross sectional area (cm²), canopy size (m³) and yield (kg/tree) were studied for 'Catherine' peach trees, grown on 16 rootstocks at four different drip irrigation strategies. The rootstocks used were of four types. Type I (peach x almonds hybrids) included: GF 677, 'Mayor', 'Adafuel', H 920, 'Monegro', 'Garnem' and 'Felinem'. Type II (peach x plum hybrids) included: 'Barrier 1' and 'Cadaman'. Type III ("pollizo de Murcia" plums) included: 'Montizo', 'Monpol', 'Adesoto 101' and 'Pollizo común'. Type IV (other plum selections) included: 'Julior', 'Mr S 215' and 'Adara'. The irrigation levels were: 100% ETc (R100) and 50% ETc (R50) over the annual cycle; 100% ETc until fruit harvest and 50% ETc at postharvest (R175); 50% ETc until fruit harvest and 100% ETc at postharvest (R275). The first year after grafting (2000), the same amount of water was applied to all treatments: 775 m³/ha. In the second year (2001), the different treatments were applied: 2513 m³/ha in R100, 1803 m³/ha in R175, 1687 m³/ha in R275 and 1212 m³/ha in R50 treatment. The most water applied was in the R100 treatment for the evapotranspiration process. In all the irrigation treatments, vegetative growth on hybrid rootstocks (types I and II), was significantly higher than on plum rootstocks (types III and IV). Fruit yields after one year for type IV under R100 irrigation, was significantly higher than for the rest of rootstocks types. Nevertheless, when water amount applied was halved (R50), the decrease in fruit yield was higher than for the hybrid rootstocks (types I and II). This indicates a high sensitivity to lack of water. No significant differences in fruit production were found among hybrid rootstocks (types I and II). However, under low irrigation regimes, hybrid rootstocks showed very low fruit production. For all trees tested, type III rootstock "pollizo of Murcia" was the most sensitive to water stress.