ISHS Acta Horticulturae 663: XI Eucarpia Symposium on Fruit Breeding and Genetics
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PEACH CULTIVARS WITH COLUMNAR AND UPRIGHT GROWTH HABIT |
| Authors: | A. Liverani, D. Giovannini, F. Brandi, M. Merli |
| Keywords: | breeding, pillar, branching angle, training systems, labor requirements |
| Abstract:
The first results of a breeding program carried out at the Istituto Sperimentale per la Frutticoltura – Forlì Research Unit, aimed to genetically manipulate the canopy structure of the peach tree, are reported. Since 1985, crosses were made to introduce the br allele, whose most peculiar effect is the reduction of branch crotch angles into standard growth habit genotypes (BrBr). The homozygous form brbr of the gene reduces crotch angle up to 40% resulting in trees with very narrow, mesotonic, dense and vigorous canopies (hence the “pillar” denomination). The heterozygous Brbr shows a more limited shoot angle reduction (about 20%) and a canopy radial development intermediate between the standard and the pillar one. As the source of the br allele was very poor in fertility and fruit quality, the breeding program has focused on the improvement of these traits. So far, about 4600 F1 and F2 seedlings have been screened, six selections are in an advanced stage of evaluation, and a seventh one, an early ripening yellow-fleshed nectarine, was recently released with the name of ‘Alice-col’. To assess the performance of these novel peach phenotypes in hedgerow (vertical or inclined) training systems in commercial orchards, a trial was also conducted in 1999, in which different training systems and planting densities were evaluated. | |
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