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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Genetics of sweet kernel Apricots

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  • From: Diane Whitehead <voltaire@islandnet.com>
  • To: "Martha L. Davis" <martha_davis@earthlink.net>, North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Genetics of sweet kernel Apricots
  • Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:31:10 -0700

There is some information about apricot development in Advances in Fruit Breeding, edited by Jules Janick and James N. Moore, Purdue University Press. I have the 1975 edition, but I've been reading the 1996 one online - the entire chapter is not available, but a good sampling. The name of the book has changed to Fruit Breeding, and it is published by John Wiley and Sons.

Apricots are not widely adapted. Whenever a cross is made with an apricot from a different area, qualities that are disadvantageous appear. For instance, improving cold hardiness can increase susceptibility to disease.

Sweet kernels are present in two groups:
The Central Asian group - Greatest variation. Most self-unfruitful. High sugar content, small to medium sized. Vigorous, long-lived, bloom late. Susceptible to fungus diseases so need to grow in a dry area.
Irano-Caucasian group - . Most self-unfruitful. Often white or light fruit, larger than Central Asian ones. Less winter-hardy. Bloom earlier.

Bitter kernels are in this group:
European group - Not very variable. Some can withstand greater cold while dormant than the above. Mostly self-fertile. Fruit orange, more acidic, all ripen within a month. Greater resistance to fungus diseases.

When crossing Central Asian apricots with Europeans, these qualities of the Central Asian apricots predominate: small fruit, relatively large pit size, increased sugar and decreased bitterness of flesh, longer period of winter dormancy, later flowering, increased winter hardiness, less resistance to fungal diseases. No mention of pit taste. Some of these qualities are desirable, and others not.

In British Columbia, some Irano-Caucasian cultivars were used to broaden the genetic base. It is possible that some of the Summerland trees have sweet kernels.
Harrow, in Ontario, does not include kernel taste in its evaluation sheet (shown online).

Diane Whitehead
British Columbia, Canada






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