INTRODUCTION AND EVALUATION OF STONEFRUIT VARIETIES FOR THE GRANITE BELT OF QUEENSLAND

From 1980 to 1988 there have been over 400 varieties of peach, nectarine, plum and apricot introduced into Queensland from 15 countries.
Varieties are screened on the Granite Belt for adaptation to a temperate, summer rainfall environment with particular reference to bacterial spot resistance.
Other characteristics sought are extended maturity range, improved fruit quality, resistance to bacterial canker, brown rot and leaf curl, semi-dwarfing growth habits, improved firmness of white flesh varieties and blossom frost tolerance.

Breeding programmes in the USA accounted for 80% of the peach and nectarine introductions, with the majority from California and Florida.
Californian peaches and nectarines are grown commercially but many plum varieties such as Friar and Laroda are too susceptible to bacterial spot for economic production.
The Florida introductions have extended the range of early ripening varieties.
Peaches from North Carolina such as Correll have potential because they combine bacterial spot resistance and high fruit quality.

The narrow germplasm base of Californian varieties is discussed in relation to similarity of varieties, susceptibility to bacterial spot and future progress.

Australian Temperate Fruits Review Conference

B.L. Topp, J.B. Heaton, D.M. Russell

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1989.240.5