EXPERIENCES IN EXPORT APPLE BREEDING

The logic behind the breeding of any fruit crop is that if a variety is to succeed in a particular environment, it should be bred and selected in that environment.
It is also important to produce varieties which are resistant to disease and to storage disorders.
The Western Australian programme was also built on the premise that it is possible to breed better varieties than we have at this moment and that we need these to stay in fiercely competitive export markets.
To date two varieties have been released, which appear to be very well adapted to the Western-Australian environment.
The programme was originated by crossing Lady Williams, a high quality long-storage variety adapted to the local environment of mild winters and long hot summers with Golden Delicious which tends to confer eating quality on the progeny.
Of late other varieties such as Gala, Red Delicious, Sundowner and Splendour have been added to the programme.
Back crossing and sib crossing have commenced and new varieties bred in Western Australia have been used as parents.

Australian Temperate Fruits Review Conference

J.E.L. Cripps

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1989.240.3