ISHS Acta Horticulturae 671: IX International Pear Symposium
PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN PEAR BREEDING PROGRAM |
| Author: | J.P. Human |
| Keywords: | Pyrus communis L., cultivars, blushed cultivars, miniature pears, pear breeding |
| Abstract:
Imported cultivars are usually poorly adapted to South African conditions and in order to stay competitive on overseas markets the South African pear industry needs new, climatically adapted, cultivars. The pear-breeding program in South Africa is largely funded by the local industries (Deciduous Fruit Producers’ Trust, Canning Fruit Producers’ Association & Dried Fruit Technical Services). These organisations specify the breeding objectives which must be met in order to fulfil the needs of the evolving market. The present cultivar range is not without problems. Currently, no full-red cultivars are available which store well. Furthermore, few of the full-green pear cultivars are without excessive knobbiness. In addition, locally bred blushed pear varieties, such as ‘Rosemarie’ and ‘Flamingo’, are too sensitive to climate change, resulting in sub-optimal blush colour development. The high demand for blushed varieties from overseas marketers, and the potential high returns for local producers, highlights the importance of addressing the colour problem in the breeding program. The breeding program also aims at the development of other, unique, products to fill niche market gaps. Such products include ‘miniature pears’, suitable for ‘kiddies’ packs’ and unusual types such as Asian x European pears. The pear breeding and evaluation program thus concentrates on the following areas: breeding climatically adapted blushed cultivars; a range of full-red cultivars with good storage ability; attractively shaped green pears, new product types such as Asian x European pears and the development of unique products such as miniature pears. | |
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