ISHS Acta Horticulturae 293: IX International Symposium on Apricot Culture
APRICOT BREEDING AT THE ISTITUTO SPERIMENTALE PER LA FRUTTICOLTURA (ISF) OF ROME. |
| Authors: | G. Della Strada, C. Fideghelli, F. Monastra, F. Pennone, R. Quarta |
| Abstract:
Apricot has, in Italy, a considerable economic importance, and not withstanding a good recovery, the production (fig.1) still leaves the national demand unsatisfied. This species is commonly cultivated, although with variable intensity almost in all Italian regions, but has found in Campania, and especially in the Vesuvian area, particularly favourable conditions for its growing. Over 50% of the Italian yield is produced in this region, followed by Emilia-Romagna (about 20%), Basilicata (about 10%) and Sicily (about 4%) of the whole production. Although several studies have been carried out in the last twenty years (Bailey, Hough, 1975; Couranjou, 1975; Couranjou et alii, 1975; Couranjou, 1982; Crossa-Raynaud, 1986; Fideghelli and Monastra, 1978; Fideghelli, Quarta, Della Strada, 1978; Fideghelli et alii, 1978; Scaramuzzi, 1962; Grassi et alii, 1978; Simeone, 1982; Simeone, 1987), the main problems concerning this culture are, still today, early blooming, sensibility to Monilia, a too restricted ripening calendar, little adaptability of each cultivar to different environments, the lack of specific cultivars for processing. In the sixties, the ISF of Rome started a program of variety testing collecting in Rome and then in Francolise (Caserta) a wide range of the most important apricot cultivars of the world. At the same time a survey was carried out in the Vesuvian area to single out the best local cultivars or clones that were, then, introduced in the collection and compared to the other cultivars (Cirillo et alii, 1975). The variety testing has given the possibility to single out several cultivars with particularly interesting characters, that were used as parents in the breeding program. Since 1972, the aims of the apricot breeding program at the ISF of Rome have been the following (fig.2): late blooming, high quality fruits, very early and very late ripening, high and regular productivity, canning suitability, low sensibility to Monilia laxa Honey. Open pollination, cross-pollination and mutagenesis through ionizing radiations were used. Several dwarf genotypes were single out among genetically different progenies (Fideghelli, 1984; Quarta et alii, 1985). Since the problem of controlling tree size is very important, and the interest for high density orchard is increasing, especially for this species for which there are no dwarfing rootstocks available, the | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
