THE PEACH BREEDING PROGRAMME IRTA-ASF: AIMING FOR HIGH FRUIT QUALITY

A peach scion breeding programme to obtain new cultivars well adapted to the Spanish growing conditions was started in 2004 jointly by IRTA and ASF. Several fruit types (peach, nectarine, flat peach and flat nectarine) combining with yellow or white flesh and firm flesh texture were the aims.
In addition, a number of outstanding agronomic traits to produce high quality and tasteful fruits with a good sugar-acid balance, juicy and non-melting texture and long shelf life are also breeding objectives.
During the three first crossing years (2004, 2005 and 2006) the main objectives were: yellow flesh nectarines with red skin, yellow flesh peach, white flesh nectarines with red skin, white flesh peach, yellow non-melting fleshed peaches, flat peach and nectarine.
Regarding harvesting time families raised were: 68% mid-season (July-August), 18% early (June) and 14% late (September). Crosses made included varied cross combinations.
Populations have been raised mainly from ASF breeding stock (yellow flesh nectarines of the NECTAPOM^TM and NECTAREGAL^TM ranges and white flesh nectarines of the NECTASWEET^TM and NECTADELICE^TM range). In addition, peaches used in several cross combinations were from the TONICSUN^TM and REGALSUN^TM yellow fleshed ranges and from the TONICSWEET^TM and REGALSNOW^TM white fleshed ranges.
Flat white peaches and nectarines from the REGALCAKE^TM and NECTACAKE^TM ranges were also included as parents.
Also some yellow flesh clingstone local Spanish cultivars were used for crossing.
Some 10,261 seedlings were raised during the three first crossing years and were grown in three selection plots of approximately 1,5 ha each at 3,5×1 m of spacing for the seedlings planted in 2005 and 3,5×0,8 m for the seedlings planted in 2006 and 2007. Selection plots are placed at Gimenells close to the main peach producing area in Lleida.
Fruit bearing, in almost 100% of the seedlings, occurs during the third leaf year.
First time flowering seedlings were observed twice in each spring to assess flowering intensity and fruit set.
The selection process for the 10,261 seedlings raised, based on fruit quality assessment during 2007, 2008 and 2009 resulted on 127 promising preselections which were budded onto one year old ‘Cadaman’ rootstock and placed at 5×3 m of spacing for further trial (3 replicates per preselection) in two sites: Gimenells (Lleida) and La Tallada (Girona).

XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): International Symposium on the Challenge for a Sustainable Production, Protection and Consumption of Mediterranean Fruits and Nuts

I. Batlle, C. Fontich, L. Lozano, I. Iglesias, G. Reig, S. Alegre, G. Echeverría, F. de Herralde, E. Claveria, R. Dolcet-Sanjuan, J. Carbó, J. Bonany, A. Maillard, L. Maillard

peach, cultivars, breeding, selection, organoleptic quality

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.940.8