Italian fruit breeding consortium CIV has released a new and “very early” bicoloured apple for pre-commercial trials.
The as-yet-unnamed variety can reportedly be harvested a couple of days before Gala, and is said to produce “very attractive”, medium- to large-sized fruit, with a uniform, bright red blush over at least 60-80 per cent of its yellow background colour – and even more in high-colouring areas.
According to CIV, which previously developed the licensed varieties Modì and Rubens, the new apple is extremely crunchy and juicy, with pleasant flavour offering mid-to-high sweetness and a good level of acidity.
In production terms, CIV said the variety offered resistance to scab and moderate vigour with high and constant production, and was not subject to early fruit drop.
Apparently suited to both conventional and organic production, and to cold and temperate climates, its harvesting window is also said to be long.
'We hope to involve a significant number of potential partners in the apple industry at an international level and look forward to the expression of interest in response to our public invitation,” commented CIV variety manager Marco Bertolazzi and director Eugenio Bolognesi in a joint statement.
The group is offers interested apple producers in Europe the opportunity to plant the variety in their own advanced pilot orchards, the aim being to boost the number of trial sites with different soil and climate characteristics, and in doing so move on from small experimental sites to larger, more commercial-style plantations.
“CIV is very interested in collaborating with key producers and/or stakeholders operating in the apple industry, both in Italy and in the rest of Europe,” the group added.
