THE ADVANCED IN ALMOND BREEDING BY ISF OF ROME

Starting 1974 a breeding program on almond has been carried out according to three lines:

• selection among the population of open pollinated seedlings in the areas of traditional cultivation;

• mutagenesis through the use of ionizing radiations;

• cross-pollination.

The selection among the populations of seedlings of the traditional areas like Puglie and Sicily allowed to sigle out several varieties interesting for late blooming, good productivity and good quality of the kernel.

Through the ionizing radiations, late blooming and compact habit mutants of the cultivar Fascionello have been obtained.

Aims of the pollination work were: late blooming, self-fertility, high kernel/nut ratio, single kernel, high quality of the kernel, resistance to Monilia.

The cultivars utilized as parents in the breeding program were:

• late blooming: Aï, Cristomorto, Ferraduel, Ferragnes, Ferrastar, Filippo Ceo, Frà Giulio piccola, Genco, Rana, Tardive de la Verdiere, Texas, Tuono.

• self-fertility: Filippo Ceo, Genco, Tuono.

• high kernel/nut ratio: Aï, Ardechoise, Distomou Biotias, Ne Plus Ultra, Nonpareil, Texas, Vesta.

• single kernel: Aï, Ferraduel, Ferragnes, Ferrastar, Tardive de la Verdiere, Vesta.

• high quality of kernel: Distomou Biotias, Fascionello, Ferragnes, Frà Giulio piccola, Pizzuta d’Avola, Tardive de la Verdiere, Vesta.

• resistance to Monilia: Aï, Ardechoise, Burbank.

Conference on Temperate Tree Fruits and Nuts Breeding

F. Monastra, G. Della Strada, C. Fideghelli, R. Quarta

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1985.159.11