Articles
Identifying pollenisers and understanding fruit set physiology of ‘PremP009’, a new interspecific pear
Article number
1403_7
Pages
63 – 72
Language
English
Abstract
‘PremP009’ (marketed as Piqa®Boo) is the first European × Asian ‘interspecific’ pear to be commercially released.
Its vibrant red skin color, white flesh, unique taste and texture have generated exceptional market interest.
Variable initial fruit set and protracted fruit drop may occur among regions and seasons in New Zealand, negatively affecting potential yield.
The aim of this project was to understand how fruit set and drop may be influenced by polleniser suitability, something not previously investigated in ‘PremP009’. Five genotypes within the same breeding program were identified as potential pollenisers for ‘PremP009’ as they had similar flowering timing at one site.
Timing of the flowering period and fruit set on ‘PremP009’ using pollen from these genotypes was assessed across two seasons (2020/2021 and 2021/2022) and three regions (Hawke’s Bay, Tasman and Central Otago). Flower clusters on ‘PremP009’ were thinned to two, four or six flowers.
Clusters were then either hand pollinated with pollen from one polleniser, left as an open pollinated ‘control’, or were non-pollinated.
Hand-pollinated clusters were covered with pollinator-excluding mesh bags.
Fruit set was recorded 3 weeks after full bloom, and thereafter a further four times during the growing season.
Pollinisers performed differently among regions and seasons; no single polleniser suited all regions.
Fruit abscission patterns and the lack of primary spur leaves in ‘PremP009’ indicate that this genotype may reply on stored carbohydrate reserves for fruit set, and that fruit drop as a result of carbon deficit probably occurs earlier in this genotype than in apples.
To mitigate seasonal variability in flowering timing affecting fruit set, two to three polleniser genotypes per region are recommended.
Its vibrant red skin color, white flesh, unique taste and texture have generated exceptional market interest.
Variable initial fruit set and protracted fruit drop may occur among regions and seasons in New Zealand, negatively affecting potential yield.
The aim of this project was to understand how fruit set and drop may be influenced by polleniser suitability, something not previously investigated in ‘PremP009’. Five genotypes within the same breeding program were identified as potential pollenisers for ‘PremP009’ as they had similar flowering timing at one site.
Timing of the flowering period and fruit set on ‘PremP009’ using pollen from these genotypes was assessed across two seasons (2020/2021 and 2021/2022) and three regions (Hawke’s Bay, Tasman and Central Otago). Flower clusters on ‘PremP009’ were thinned to two, four or six flowers.
Clusters were then either hand pollinated with pollen from one polleniser, left as an open pollinated ‘control’, or were non-pollinated.
Hand-pollinated clusters were covered with pollinator-excluding mesh bags.
Fruit set was recorded 3 weeks after full bloom, and thereafter a further four times during the growing season.
Pollinisers performed differently among regions and seasons; no single polleniser suited all regions.
Fruit abscission patterns and the lack of primary spur leaves in ‘PremP009’ indicate that this genotype may reply on stored carbohydrate reserves for fruit set, and that fruit drop as a result of carbon deficit probably occurs earlier in this genotype than in apples.
To mitigate seasonal variability in flowering timing affecting fruit set, two to three polleniser genotypes per region are recommended.
Publication
Authors
J.G. Byrne, K.C. Breen, R. Diack, K. Colhoun, B.M. van Hooijdonk
Keywords
region, season, Pyrus, New Zealand, carbohydrate, carbon
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