CLONAL SELECTION, FERTILITY AND FRUIT QUALITY OF GOLDEN DELICIOUS

Based on several years research on the behaviour of 20 selections of Golden Delicious, both standard and spur types, it is concluded that for the purpose of ascertaining genetic variations and hence indicating the more suitable clones to the fruit grower, evaluation. of the fruit quality is no less important than that of the tree health, growth and yield.

Attention was payed to the testing of the apparently different clones of Golden Delicious, standard and spur.
Differences between the various mutants were demonstrated as regards fruit weight, skin color and russeting, firmness, soluble solids, acidity and keeping-quality in cold storage.
Also a certain positive correlation was found between russeting, amount of sugar and susceptibility to shrivelling after cold storage.

It is interesting to note that in certain aspects some new mutations of Golden Delicious are preferable to a virus free selected clone and that even though the quality of the fruit is sometimes slightly inferior to that of Golden Delicious, some spur clones have estremely important characteristics which make them equally worthwhile for new high density planting.

Symposium on Clonal Variation in Apple and Pear

S. Sansavini, D. Bassi

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1977.75.9