HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Fruit and Nut Varieties

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Fruit and Nut CultivarsCultivar ChoicePome Fruits

Apples, pears, quinceNut Crops

Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, filberts, pecansStone Fruit

Peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, cherriesSmall Fruit

Grapes, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

How do you choose the right cultivar/variety?Adaptation

Climate Disease resistance Yield

Tree characteristics Management ease Growth habit Pollination requirements

Fruit qualities Ripening time Processing vs. fresh Local vs. distant markets Size Appearance - color, shape Internal qualities

• Flavor, texture• Handling ease• Storage

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Pome or Pip Fruits

Apples Malus x domestica Cultivated species

Pears European, Common,

Occidental• Pyrus communis

Asian, Apple, Oriental

• Pyrus pyrifolia Hybrids

• communis x pyrifolia

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Apples are best adapted to COOL ClimatesCold hardyHigh chillLate bloomingHigher humidity and

disease problems Apple scab Powdery mildew Fire blight

Cool climates Better red color Cooler nights, more

elongate shape Less russeting Less fruit drop Better yields

• WA 2000 bu/ac• NE 500-1500 bu/ac

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Red Delicious40% production250 strains

Fresh and processedStores well (6 mo.)

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Golden Delicious15% of productionYellow w/ Red Delicious

shape

Fresh and processedStores well (6 mo.)Very productive

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Other Apple CultivarsMcIntosh (5% in East)

Earlier ripening (130 vs 150) Stores well (4-5 mo.)

Other McIntosh types: Empire Idared Spur types

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Other Apple CultivarsGranny Smith (7%)

Green, tart 180 days to mature

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Other Apple Cultivars Rome Beauty (7%),

Jonathon, Idared, Empire Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady ... Low chill varieties

Fuji

GalaRome

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Commercial Apple ProductionCommercial Apple Production10% of world production 40-50% used for processing

Northeast - 25% Around Great Lakes 140-160 day season McIntosh, Red Delicious

Central Atlantic - 10% In mountains 165 days but warmer Red/Golden Delicious, York

West - 60% Best yields Cool, dry, no frosts Red/Golden Delicious

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

World production of apples 41 million metric tons/yr (mid-1980s):

1. USSR2. China3. US

The leading apple-producing countries in Europe are:

France Germany Italy

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Apple Production in TexasApple Production in Texas

Challenges faced Too hot for good color

development High humidity leads to

disease Chilling problems in south:

low chill types Calcareous soil and cotton

root rot Competition

Can they be grown? Yes but risky W and NW San Antonio NE Texas

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Classes of Pears - PyrusClasses of Pears - Pyruscommunis and pyrifolia

European or Common 95% USA, 80% world Persistent calyx, melting flesh Pyriform

Asian or Oriental 80% China/Japan 20% world Crisp, juicy, and sweet Globose to pyriform

Hybrid types Fireblight resistance

Quality and Picking European pears

• Best if pick hard mature, cold stored, and ripened at RT

Asian pears• Best if picked ripe

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Adaptability of PearsAdaptability of Pears Compared to apple

Less hardy Lower chilling

• European, 900 to 1000• Asian, 600 to 800

Earlier bloom More heat tolerant Tolerates poorer soil

Fireblight major limitation in humid regions

PP

PPP

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

European Pear CultivarsEuropean Pear Cultivars95% USA, 80% World production

Bartlett (Williams, 1770) 75% USA production 125 days to ripen Very productive Stores 70-85 days Fresh and processed Parthenocarpic in

Northern California Trends: red sports

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

European Pear Cultivars: Winter PearsEuropean Pear Cultivars: Winter Pears Bosc

• 4% USA production• 160 days to ripen• Stores 100 days• Russetted fruit• Fresh and canning

Comice

Anjou• 16% USA production• 155 days to ripen• Moderate production• Stores 180 days• Fresh use

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Asian Pear CultivarsAsian Pear Cultivars20% world production

*20th Century or Nijisseiki

Round Yellow-green skin White flesh Ripens with Bartlett Store for 4 months Susceptible to fireblight

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Asian Pears

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Hybrid Pear CultivarsHybrid Pear Cultivars2% of USA production

Adapted to Texas and other humid production areas

Kieffer Hardy, MR to fireblight Productive Stores 90-120 days Ripens 6 weeks after Bartlett Processing only

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Hybrid Pear CultivarsHybrid Pear Cultivars2% of USA production

Other cultivars Maxine, Moonglow Ayers, Orient, Garber Flordahome (low chill)

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Quince (Cydonia oblonga)

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Quince

Originated in western AsiaStill cultivated there as well as the

Mediterranean area and southern EuropeWhen cooked the juice and pulp have a

pink color. The fruit size varies according to the

variety, but averages are 0.5-1.5 lb.

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

QuinceReported to grow in all the 48 lower states, it

grows into a small tree, usually less than 25 feet and can be trained to a spreading form.

Self-fertile so only one variety is needed for fruiting.

There are many named varieties. It is highly susceptible to fire blight and quince

rust.

HORT 319 - Temperate Fruit and Nut Production

Any Questions?