Articles
NEW PROMISING HIGH QUALITY, SHARKA RESISTANT APRICOT CULTIVARS FROM CEBAS-CSIC (MURCIA, SPAIN) BREEDING PROGRAM
Article number
940_5
Pages
53 – 56
Language
English
Abstract
A major varietal renewal process is currently underway in apricot in order to satisfy consumer and industry demands.
Consumers like the beauty and aromatic flavour of high-quality apricots, those with an orange ground colour, intense red blush, orange and juicy flesh and high organoleptic qualities.
Other criteria, such as size, resistance to manipulation and good conservation aptitude, are taken into account in particular by the apricot industry.
However, at present sharka (PPV) resistance is an extremely important trait for a variety to be cultivated in most traditional apricot areas.
An apricot breeding programme is being developed at CEBAS-CSIC (Murcia, Spain) since the early nineties.
Five new cultivars with good level of sharka resistance have been registered and released in the last years: Rojo Pasión, Murciana, Mirlo Blanco, Mirlo Anaranjado and Mirlo Rojo which respond to a large extent to the cultivation and market needs.
They have low-to-medium chilling requirements, and are self-compatible cultivars with a high level of productivity and an early period of maturity (from early May to early June). High organoleptic quality, attractiveness, resistance to manipulation, good postharvest behaviour, aptitude for canning and sharka resistance are among others the main characteristics of the new cultivars.
These positive characteristics mean that the five new apricot cultivars can play an important role in the varietal renewal process in Spain and maybe in other countries.
Consumers like the beauty and aromatic flavour of high-quality apricots, those with an orange ground colour, intense red blush, orange and juicy flesh and high organoleptic qualities.
Other criteria, such as size, resistance to manipulation and good conservation aptitude, are taken into account in particular by the apricot industry.
However, at present sharka (PPV) resistance is an extremely important trait for a variety to be cultivated in most traditional apricot areas.
An apricot breeding programme is being developed at CEBAS-CSIC (Murcia, Spain) since the early nineties.
Five new cultivars with good level of sharka resistance have been registered and released in the last years: Rojo Pasión, Murciana, Mirlo Blanco, Mirlo Anaranjado and Mirlo Rojo which respond to a large extent to the cultivation and market needs.
They have low-to-medium chilling requirements, and are self-compatible cultivars with a high level of productivity and an early period of maturity (from early May to early June). High organoleptic quality, attractiveness, resistance to manipulation, good postharvest behaviour, aptitude for canning and sharka resistance are among others the main characteristics of the new cultivars.
These positive characteristics mean that the five new apricot cultivars can play an important role in the varietal renewal process in Spain and maybe in other countries.
Authors
J. Egea, F. Dicenta, L. Burgos, P. Martínez-Gómez, M. Rubio, J.A. Campoy, E. Ortega, J.L. Patiño, L. Nortes, A. Molina, A. Molina Jr., D. Ruiz
Keywords
Prunus armeniaca, breeding, cultivar, fruit quality, Plum pox virus
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