PEACH CULTIVARS IN FLORIDA AND THEIR CHILLING REQUIREMENTS

Predicting the amount of winter chilling for a location, based on mean temperature of the coldest month, appears to be one of the easiest and most rapid and accurate model over many climates for low- chill peach cultivars.
Data needed to calculate chill units in this model are the most readily available data for a location and chill units are linearly related to the data (average monthly temperature). The model has been useful over many microclimates of the world where low-chill peaches are grown, even where temperatures below 7.2°C do not occur.
Each low-chill peach clone from the Florida breeding program has been assigned a chill unit value and a mean January (northern hemisphere) temperature based on relative bloom date.
Thus, a Florida peach cultivar can be suggested for a test area if the mean temperature of the coldest month in that area is determined.
In addition, with the absence of spring frosts, all clones should be tested which have a lesser chill unit requirement or a higher January mean temperature than that calculated for the given location.

III International Workshop on Temperate Zone Fruits in the Tropics and Subtropics

R.H. Sharpe, W.B. Sherman, J.D. Martsolf

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1990.279.21