Articles
ALMOND CULTIVAR AND BREEDING PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA
Article number
373_1
Pages
13 – 28
Language
Abstract
The background germplasm, cultivar trends and breeding programs in California must be viewed against the background of the ecological (biological, environmental and cultural) evolution of the almond industry in California.
The pattern of cultivar development and usage in California is an extension of the Mediterranian traditional pattern of seedling – clonal local selections.
Germplasm limits have been defined by the gene pool of the initial ecotypes introduced from France before 1900. The industry was established by the selection of four cultivars – ‘Nonpareil’ combined with ‘Ne Plus Ultra’, ‘Peerless’ and ‘Mission’ (‘Texas’), which extended the blooming range, provided early and late cross-pollination for ‘Nonpareil’, encompassed the range for nut harvesting and provided for the needs of the market.
This pattern has gradually shifted to new combinations of mid-blooming and late blooming cultivars.
Cultivar selection is grower, nursery and market driven and trends continue toward change.
Breeding programs (institutional and private) have been in place but have had no greater impact than the many chance seedlings from populations of ‘Nonpareil’ and ‘Mission’ progeny that exist throughout California.
Concerns of environmental pollution, water usage, chemical controls, competition for land, salinity, overuse of nitrogen fertilization, honey bee problems, economics makes it necessary to take a fresh look at vulnerability of current cultivars, rootstocks and germplasm and their potential for solution through breeding.
New sources of germplasm have been introduced into the University of California program to broaden the genetic base and to incorporate new genes.
These include other Prunus species (peach, mira) and other almond species (webbii, argentea, tangutica, bucharica., fenzliana, etc.) and foreign materials (Tuono seedlings). Genetic markers are being studied and the possibility of genetic engineering is being explored.
A National Clonal Germplasm Repository is now established at Winters, CA based currently on the UC collection but including expansion of the species range.
The pattern of cultivar development and usage in California is an extension of the Mediterranian traditional pattern of seedling – clonal local selections.
Germplasm limits have been defined by the gene pool of the initial ecotypes introduced from France before 1900. The industry was established by the selection of four cultivars – ‘Nonpareil’ combined with ‘Ne Plus Ultra’, ‘Peerless’ and ‘Mission’ (‘Texas’), which extended the blooming range, provided early and late cross-pollination for ‘Nonpareil’, encompassed the range for nut harvesting and provided for the needs of the market.
This pattern has gradually shifted to new combinations of mid-blooming and late blooming cultivars.
Cultivar selection is grower, nursery and market driven and trends continue toward change.
Breeding programs (institutional and private) have been in place but have had no greater impact than the many chance seedlings from populations of ‘Nonpareil’ and ‘Mission’ progeny that exist throughout California.
Concerns of environmental pollution, water usage, chemical controls, competition for land, salinity, overuse of nitrogen fertilization, honey bee problems, economics makes it necessary to take a fresh look at vulnerability of current cultivars, rootstocks and germplasm and their potential for solution through breeding.
New sources of germplasm have been introduced into the University of California program to broaden the genetic base and to incorporate new genes.
These include other Prunus species (peach, mira) and other almond species (webbii, argentea, tangutica, bucharica., fenzliana, etc.) and foreign materials (Tuono seedlings). Genetic markers are being studied and the possibility of genetic engineering is being explored.
A National Clonal Germplasm Repository is now established at Winters, CA based currently on the UC collection but including expansion of the species range.
Publication
Authors
Dale E. Kester
Keywords
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