TOP, TOPPER AND TOPHIT: THREE NEW LATE RIPENING PLUM CULTIVARS FOR A PROFITABLE MARKET

'Top', as a hybrid of 'Auerbacher' x 'Stanley', is a very late ripening, dark blue cultivar with good culinary and processing quality for cooler climates. 'Top' is bearing very early and heavily, is absolutly self-fertile, compatible with all rootstocks and tolerant of some pests and diseases. 'Top' prolongs to the plum harvest season for four weeks.

'Topper', as a hybrid of 'Cacanska Najbolja' x 'Auerbacher', is a midseason to late ripening, blue cultivar with excellent culinary and processing quality for warmer climates. 'Topper' bears very early and heavily, is absolutly self-fertile, has a robust to frost-resistant flower and is compatible with all rootstocks. It shows no alternating problems and is a dwarfing and plum pox (sharka) fruittolerant cultivar.

'Tophit', as a hybrid of 'Cacanska Najbolja' x 'President', is a late ripening, dark blue and very large cultivar with excellent culinary quality for all climates. 'Tophit' bears also early and heavily, is self-fertile, compatible with all rootstocks, has a very robust flower and is plum pox (sharka) fruittolerant.

All these three cultivars are registrated for the national and European plant patent protection; 'Top' got the plant protection in 1996, belonging to the Research Station in Geisenheim.

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