r ,.- ,: .S. ° rsr r N ., St 4,,, , 4, -', ' _ '. '' . t K , t, SUMMARY Several peach varieties performed satisfactorily in tests at the Wiregrass Substation, Headland. Those best adapted for commercial production in that area were Springcrest, Springold, Maygold, Sentinel, LaGold, Keystone, Winblo, and Redskin. None of the nectarine varieties evaluated was suitable for commercial production. Lexington, Pocahontas, and Caliver are nectarine varieties with some potential for home use. Information contained herein is available to all persons regardless of race, color, or national origin. FIRST PRINTING 4M, JUNE 1979 Performance of Peach and Nectarine Varieties in the Wiregrass Area of Alabama W. A. DOZIER, JR., J. G. STARLING, H. W. IVEY, and O. N. FARRIOR* PEACHES AND NECTARINES are potentially valuable crops for the Wiregrass Area of Alabama. This region has the natural advantage of being free of spring frost in most years, a time when most peach producing areas are subject to frost damage during or just after bloom. The potential for production of peaches for both fresh market and processing is unlimited in this area of the State if the proper varieties are grown. Varieties should be chosen on the basis of their intended use and performance in this area. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT A variety evaluation planting was established at the Wiregrass Substation, Headland, in the spring of 1973 to identify varieties suited to the area. The planting included 26 varieties of peaches and 6 varieties of nectarines. The peach varieties were planted in six groups and the nectarines in two groups according to ripening dates. Three trees of each variety were planted in a randomized complete block design in each ripening group. All varieties planted were on Lovell rootstock. Tree spacing was 20 by 20 feet. Prior to planting lime, phosphorous, and potassium were broadcast and incorporated into the soil according to soil test recommendation. The nutritional program in subsequent years also followed soil test recommendations, with adjustments made in nitrogen application based on vegetative growth. For nematode control, Dasanit was broadcast and double disked into the top 6 inches of soil prior to planting at *Respectively, Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, and Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, and Research Associate, Wiregrass Substation. the rate of 66.6 pounds of 15 percent granules per acre. Recommended practices were followed for insect and disease control. Paraquat and simazine were used for weed control in the rows, and middles were mowed.Fruit on all varieties were hand thinned in 1976, 1977, and 1978. Dates of full bloom and first harvest were recorded for each variety. The rating systems used in all tables are as follows: skin color, fruit firmness, and stone freeness-0 = poor, 10 = excellent; for flesh color -y = yellow, w = white; for dessert quality-i, 2 = acid, 3,4 = sub-acid, 5, 6 = astringent. Fruit size was obtained by measuring 20 representative fruit of each variety at each harvest date. Yield data presented are the average for three trees of each variety. Ratings of damage from bacterial leaf spot were estimated, using the following rating system: Rating, number-class 1 2 3 4 5 6 ....... none ........... ......... .... trace ............ ........... slight ................ ........ moderate ............ ........... severe ................ very severe .................... Leaves with bacterial spot, pct. none 0-5 6-20 21-50 51-80 81-100 Defoliation, pct. none none 0-5 6-15 16-35 36-100 Incidence of bacterial fruit spot was rated as none, light, moderate, or severe. RESULTS The orchard was set in March 1973, and all trees grew vigorously the first season. In the spring of 1974 and 1975, some varieties did not leaf out and bloom until May and June due to insufficient chilling during the dormant season, table 1. In each season, once bud break occurred, all varieties grew vigorously. A few scattered fruit were produced in 1974, but yield was not sufficient for yield data to be recorded. All varieties bloomed heavily in the spring of 1975; however, fruit set and production varied from no crop to only a light crop, table 2. Good crops were produced in 1976, 1977, and 1978, tables 3, 4, and 5, and all varieties required thinning. Peach Variety Performance Severe incidence of bacterial leaf spot and bacterial fruit spot occurred in 1976 and 1977, tables 3 and 4. Many varieties [4] TABLE 1. BUD BREAK IN THE SPRING OF 1974 AND 1975, FOLLOWING WINTERS OF INSUFFICIENT CHILLING Bud break Variety 1974 Peach Springold................. Springcrest .............. Springbrite .............. Camden.................. normal normal normal poor (blind woodvigorous new growth normal Candor Maygold................normal Redcap.................poor (blind wood) Rubired................. poor (blind wood) Coronet .................. very poor (blind wood) normal Sentinel .................. Whynot.................normal Suwannee ................ normal LaGold .................. normal normal Keystone ................ normal Washington .............. Sunhigh .................. poor (blind wood) Southland ............... normal McNelly................ very poor Winblo.................poor (blind wood) 1975 normal normal normal normal poor-delayed normal poor-delayed poor-delayed poor-delayed normal normal normal normal normal normal normal normal normal normal poor-delayed poor-delayed poor-delayed poor-delayed poor-delayed poor-delayed Milan Mountaingold ............ Madison................ normal very poor very poor Piedmontgold ............ Suincling................ Redskin................. Monroe................. Nectarine very very poor poor poor poor (blind wood) (blind wood) Pocahontas ............... normal Cherokee................normal Nectared-5...............poor-delayed Nectared-4...............normal Lexington............... poor (blind wood) Caliver .................. normal normal normal normal normal normal normal that performed well in other respects were severely defoliated by bacterial leaf spot. In some cases the fruit was severely damaged and rendered unsalable by bacterial fruit spot. Varieties that were unaffected or only slightly affected by bacterial leaf spot in both 1976 or 1977 were Redcap, Rubired, Sentinel, Whynot, LaGold, Keystone, Winblo, and Redskin. Bacterial leaf spot was severe on Springold, Springcrest, Springbrite, Candor, Coronet, Suwannee, Washington, Sunhigh, Southland, McNelley, Milan, Mountaingold, Madison, Piedmontgold, and Suncling. Defoliation due to bacterial leaf spot did not occur until the first week in June in either season. Varieties that were severely affected by bacterial fruit spot were Suwannee, Washington, Sunhigh, Southland, Mi[5] TABLE 2. 1975 RATINGS OF PEACH PERFORMANCE, WIREGRASS SUBSTATION Variety Springcrest ............ Springbrite ............ Springold ............... Camden ............... Maygold ............... Redcap ................ Candor ................ Sentinel Whynot ................ Date of full bloom 3-12 3- 7 3-11 3-24 3-10 3-14 3-13 3-11 3-11 Date of first harvest 5- 9 5- 9 5-19 5-19 5-27 5-27 5-27 6- 3 no fruit Fruit size, in. 2.25 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 1.75 1.80 2.00 - Skin color 8 8 7 7 4 6 6 7 - Flesh firmness 7 7 7 7 7 6 8 8 - Stone freeness 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 8 - Dessert quality 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 - Yield, lb./tree 4.6 8.4 5.5 .7 3.2 .2 3.2 3.1 - Flesh Bacterial Degree of color eaf spot bacterial severity fruit spot Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y i m .5 E b .5 ................ Coronet ................ LaGold ................ Suwannee ............. Sunhigh ................ Rubired ............... Southland .............. McNelley .............. 3-11 3-1$ 3- 8 3-12 3-17 3-11 3-18 6- 9 6- 9 6-16 6-16 6-16 6-20 no fruit 1.75 2.00 1.75 1.80 2.25 1.85 - 7 2 6 6 9 5 - 7 5 8 8 7 7 7 - 3 9 10 9 4 10 - 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 - .5 4.9 1.3 6.5 .1 1.1 - Y Y Y Y Y Y - Keystone .............. 3-10 3-13 6-23 no fruit 2.25 - 9 7 6 9 - 10 - .8 - Y - Washington ............ Winblo ................ Milan ................. Mountaingold ........... Madison ............... Piedmontgold .......... Suncling ............... 3-20 3-16 3-13 3-22 3-25 3-22 7- 9 7- 9 7- 9 no fruit no fruit no fruit 2.25 1.80 1.80 - 9 8 9 - 9 8 1 - 3 2 3 - 1.3 4.6 .5 - Y Y Y - - - - - - Redskin ............... 3-12 3-11 7-15 no fruit 2.25 - 8 - 8 - 10 - 3 - 8.6 - Y - Monroe ................ TABLE 3. 1976 RATINGS OF PEACH VARIETY PERFORMANCE, WIREGRASS SUBSTATION Date Variety of full Date of first Fruit size, Skin color Flesh firmness Stone freeness Dessert quality bloom Springold...............3Springcrest.............3Springbrite.............3Camden................3Candor.................3Maygold................3Redcap.................3-21 Rubired................3Coronet.............. Sentinel................3Whynot .............. Suwannee..............33LaGold................. Keystone................ 3Washington............. 31 1 1 1 5 8 harvest in. 2.00 2.00 2.25 2.09 2.65 2.50 2.75 2.75 2.65 2.25 2.50 2.50 2.04 2.26 2.80 2.13 2.60 2.90 2.40 2.08 2.60 2.75 2.90 2.75 2.50 8 Yield, lb./tree 71.0 78.9 84.0 57.5 48.2 60.9 48.5 11.9 37.2 133.8 42.9 24.5 137.2 97.9 12.5 72.3 95.4 34.6 81.2 51.2 61.7 54.5 20.7 13.8 69.6 Flesh Bacterial color leaf spot Degree of bacterial severity Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y fruit spot 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 L 0 0 S 0 L S S S 0 0 S S 0 S M 0 5- 5 5-5 5- 5 5-5 5-17 5-21 5-21 5-24 5.27 5-27 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-3 6- 8 6- 8 6-11 6-11 6-14 6-14 6-18 6-21 6-21 6-25 6-28 7 7 9 5 7 7 6 6 8 8 8 6 6 6 8 5 9 9 8 7 9 9 6 4 6 6 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 3 4 5 7 7 2 9 9 10 8 8 2 8 8 2 1 10 2 1 10 - 1 1 1 8 7 Sunhigh................. Southland............... 3- 1 3-10 McNelley ................ Winblo.................. 3- 5 3- 1 Milan ................ Mountaingold........... 3- 7 7 6 6 6 3- 7 7 5 6 4 6 4 8 7 7 9 6 5 8 8 9 Madison ................. 3-10 Piedmontgold........... 3- 8 Suncling................ 3- 7 Redskin................. 3- 5 no data Monroe ................ 7 7 7 ,, ~ I~ II\ TABLE 4. 1977 RATINGS OF PEACH PERFORMANCE, WIREGRASS SUBSTATION Variety Springold .............. Springcrest ... ......... Camden ............... Springbrite ............ Candor ................ Maygold ............... Redcap ................ Coronet ............... Rubired ............... LaGold ................ Sentinel ............... Keystone .............. Washington ............ McNelley .............. Whynot ................ Suwannee ............. Sunhigh ............... Winblow .............. Mountaingold ........... Piedmontgold .......... Southland ............. Milan ................. Suncling ............... Madison ............... Redskin ............... Monroe ................ Date of full 3- 1 3- 5 3-11 3- 1 3- 6 3- 1 2-28 3- 3 3-11 3- 4 3- 9 3- 8 3- 6 3- 6 3- 1 3- 7 3- 8 3-11 3-14 3-14 .38 3-7 .3-11 3-11 3-11 3-11 Date of first 5- 9 5- 9 5. 9 5-16 5-16 5-24 5-24 5-31 5-31 6- 6 6- 6 6-13 6-13 6-13 6-14 6-14 6-14 6-21 6-21 6-27 6-27 6-27 7- 1 7- 1 7- 5 7-12 Fruit size, 2.25 2.25 2.00 2.25 2.00 1.75 2.25 2.50 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.75 2.50 2.75 2.80 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.50 2.00 2.50 2.00 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 Skin color 8 7 9 8 5 4 5 8 8 3 8 7 6 5 4 6 4 5 2 2 7 6 1 4 7 3 Flesh firmness 8 8 8 7 6 5 7 6 7 5 6 6 7 6 6 7 6 7 6 9 6 5 10 7 7 8 Stone freeness 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 3 3 10 8 10 9 8 3 10 9 9 1 2 8 8 1 9 10 10 Dessert quality 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Yield lb/tree 53.9 60.2 76.7 43.2 89.2 68.6 69.5 61.5 54.1 91.5 134.2 44.4 49.1 25.6 95.0 21.7 57.0 150.0 95.0 99.5 64.0 49.2 74.9 89.5 72.3 67.5 Flesh Bacterial color severity Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 4 4 2 4 4 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 3 2 2 6 6 2 6 6 2 6 6 2 1 3 Degree of fruit spot L L 0 L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 S S 0 S S 0 S M 0 0 0 lan, Suncling, Madison, Mountaingold, and Piedmontgold. In 1976, the early ripening varieties were harvested before any bacterial fruit spot was evident in the orchard. Coronet and Sentinel, harvested on May 27, were the first varieties that exhibited bacterial fruit spot damage. In 1977, Springold, Springcrest, and Springbrite, which were some of the first varieties to be harvested, had a light incidence of bacterial fruit spot. Fruit was generally harvested later than the early stage of ripeness suitable for commercial shipment. Therefore, fruit firmness data are lower than normally expected for most varieties. Varieties That Performed Best The following peach varieties performed best for commercial production in Wiregrass Substation tests. The average performance of each is presented in table 6. Springcrest, (Fireglow x Hiley) x Fireglow x Spring Time, was tested as F. V. 9-170 and introduced in 1969 by the USDA Horticultural Field Station, Fort Valley, Georgia. Springcrest ripens about 51 days before Elberta. The fruit is round with non-prominent suture and tip, medium size, clingstone, and has a short medium-heavy pubescence. The attractive fruit has a dark red blush on 90 percent of the surface, with a bright yellow undercolor. The flesh is yellow, firm but melting, fine in texture, subacid, and medium in quality for an early peach. Trees of Springcrest are vigorous, self-fertile, and medium in productivity. The variety has a chilling requirement of 650 hours below 450 F. Springcrest is a highly colored, goodquality, large sized peach, and has less split pits than.most varieties in its season. Springold, F. V. 89-14 x Fireglow x Springtime, was tested as F. V. 9-149 and introduced in 1966 by the USDA Horticultural Field Station, Fort Valley, Georgia. Springold ripens about 55 days before Elberta. The fruit is ovate with a prominent suture and slight tip, small, clingstone, and has medium pubescence. About 80 percent of the fruit surface is covered with a bright, attractive, red blush over a yellow ground color. The flesh is yellow, firm but melting, medium in texture, and good in flavor for an early peach. Trees of Springold are selffertile, vigorous, productive, and moderately resistant to bacterial leaf spot. Chilling requirement is about 850 hours below 45 ° F. [9] Maygold, Sunhigh x Southland, was tested as F. V. 132-12 and was introduced by the USDA Field Station, Fort Valley, Georgia, in 1953. Maygold ripens about 39 days before Elberta. The fruit has a round-ovate shape, non-prominent suture and tip, very light pubescence, and is medium in size and a clingstone. About 80 percent of the fruit surface is covered with a dark red overcolor and has a fair yellow undercolor. The flesh is yellow, of good quality, firm but melting, and medium in texture. Trees of Maygold are vigorous, self-fertile, and highly productive. The fruit is below average for the season for canning, pickling, and freezing. Its chilling requirement is 650 hours below 45 ° F. Sentinel, F. V. 5-56 x Dixigem, was formerly tested as F. V. 173-47. It was introduced in 1966 by the USDA Horticultural Field Station, Fort Valley, Georgia. Sentinel ripens about 34 days before Elberta, producing fruit that is round, medium sized, freestone when fully matured, and medium in pubescence. At maturity, about 75 percent of the surface is covered with a red blush over a yellow ground color. The flesh is yellow, firm but melting, and of good flavor and texture. Trees of Sentinel are vigorous, productive, and self-fertile, with good resistance to bacterial spot disease. Its chilling requirement is about 850 hours below 45 ° F. LaGold, open pollinated Redhaven seedling, was tested as L. 3-16-16 and introduced in 1967 by the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Calhoun, Louisiana. LaGold ripens about 25 days before Elberta. The fruit is oval in shape, with non-prominent suture and tip, medium-to-medium-large size, freestone, and has medium pubescence. The fruit is attractive and has a yellow undercolor with a red blush covering 25 percent of the fruit surface. The flesh is yellow with a small amount of red pigment near the pit, firm, melting, fine textured, and of good quality. Trees of LaGold are vigorous, productive, self fertile, and resistant to bacterial leaf spot. It has a chilling requirement of 700-750 hours below 45 ° F. Keystone, Newday x Southland, was tested as F. V. 177-17 and introduced in 1954 by the USDA Horticultural Field Station, Fort Valley, Georgia. Keystone ripens about 23 days before Elberta. Its fruit is round with non-prominent suture and tip, self fertile, medium-to-large, freestone, and has very light pubescence. Keystone's attractive fruit have a bright yellow undercolor and a bright red blush and stripe overcolor covering 60 percent of the surface. The flesh is of good quality, [10 1 TABLE 5. 1978 RATINGS OF PEACH VARIETY PERFORMANCE, WIREGRASS SUBSTATION Date of full Date of first Fruit size, Skin color Flesh firmness Stone freeness Dessert quality Variety bloom Springold ............... 3-24 Springcrest.............3-24 Camden................3-24 Springbrite.............3-24 Candor.................3-24 Redcap..................3-26 Rubired................3-26 Maygold ................ 3-22 Coronet.................3-24 Sentinel................3-26 3-26 W Whynot ................. LaGold.................3-24 Keystone...............3-24 Washington .............. 3-25 Suwannee...............3-22 Sunhigh.................3-24 Winblo..................3-26 3-27 McNelley ................ Southland...............3-24 Piedmontgold ............ 3-27 Milan...................3-24 Mountaingold ............ 3-26 Suncling ......... ....... 3-27 Madison ................. 3-25 Redskin.................3-25 3-24 Monroe ................. I I CI~~ ~TTr~~ harvest 5-23 5-23 5-25 5-25 5-30 6- 9 6- 9 6-16 6-20 6-20 6-27 6-27 6-30 6-30 in. 1.83 1.92 8 6 9 Yield, lb./tree 102.3 99.8 110.0 85.4 80.5 66.0 66.4 110.1 113.8 168.6 63.3 192.4 99.1 114.9 Flesh Bacterial color leaf spot Degree of bacterial severity Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Stot 1 fruit spot 1.72 1.58 1.79 7 7 8 8 7 5 2.27 2.26 2.14 2.04 2.00 2.15 2.13 2.13 2.16 7 7 7 8 6 9 3 6 6 5 5 6 5 8 5 7 8 8 8 8 8 5 7 7 8 1 1 1 2 4 1 3 1 3 11 O C 7 2 10 10 7777- 5 5 5 7 2.17 2.39 7 7 7-10 7-13 7-13 7-13 7-17 7-17 7-28 7-28 ~ ( I 2.32 2.28 2.28 2.08 2.03 2.05 1.91 7 7 7 7 7 8 9 10 10 63.7 9 8 10 1.72 2.10 2.10 -I I~ 2 6 5 5 I 7 7 8 8 2 10 1 1 10 10 10 7 7 Y 128.9 134.0 146.3 41.5 74.6 70.5 137.4 70.4 76.1 64.8 58.5 TABLE 6. AVERAGE RATINGS OF THE BEST PERFORMING PEACH VARIETIES, WIREGRASS SUBSTATION Date Date of FruitAvrg 1976-77 average Variety of full bloom first harvest 5-12 5-14 5-30 6- 6 6-11 6-17 6-27 7- 9 size, in. 2.06 2.03 2.13 Skin color 7 8 6 7 4 6 Flesh firmness 7.0 7.0 6.8 7.3 5.5 6.5 7.3 7.3 Stone freeness 1.0 1.0 1.3 7.5 10.0 10.0 8.8 10.0 Dessert quality 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 Average lb ,/tre 79.6 75.7 79.9 145.5 140.4 Flesh Bacterial color leaf spot Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 5.0 5.0 3.5 1.5 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.5 Bacterial fruit spot 0-L 0-L 0 0 0 0-L 0 0 Springcrest.............. 3-11 Springold............... 3- 9 Maygold................ 3-10 Sentinel................. 3-13 LaGold................. 3-10 Keystone................ 3-11 Winblo.................. 3-15 Redskin.........3-13 2.33 2.14 2.38 2.32 2.27 5 6 80.5 121.7 68.9. firm, melting, and yellow with red at pit. Although trees of the variety are vigorous, productivity varies from low to high. Keystone is a good canning and freezing variety, having flesh that is highly resistant to browning. It is less susceptible to bacterial leaf spot than Elberta. Chilling requirement of Keystone is 750 hours below 450 F. Winblo, Redhaven x Dixiered, was introduced by the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, Raleigh, North Carolina. Winblo ripens about 14 days before Elberta. The fruit is round, medium to large, and freestone. The flesh is yellow, fine flavored, high quality, moderately firm, and nonbrowning. Winblo has a yellow undercolor and a bright red blush over 70 percent of the fruit surface. The trees are vigorous, productive, and tolerant to bacterial leaf spot. Its chilling requirement is 800-850 hours below 45 ° F. Redskin, J. H. Hale x Elberta, was introduced in 1944 by the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station. Ripening date is 2-3 days before Elberta. The fruit is round with a prominent suture and light pubescence, attractive, yellow fleshed, of good color and quality, freestone, firm, and of large size when properly thinned. In some years a rough suture will develop. The trees are self-fertile, vigorous, and productive. Blossoms tend to set fruit each year. Redskin is moderately resistant to bacterial leaf spot. It has a chilling requirement of about 750 hours below 45 ° F. Nectarine Variety Performance None of the nectarine varieties evaluated was suitable for commercial production, table 7. Cherokee, Nectared-4, and Nectared-5 were defoliated by bacterial leaf spot. Their fruit were severely damaged by bacterial fruit spot and also split badly. Lexington, Pocahontas, and Caliver would probably be satisfactory for home use. The fruit of these three nectarine varieties were small. Lexington was the highest producing nectarine variety. It set large crops and required heavy thinning. In addition to being small, fruit of Lexington are soft and white fleshed. Pocahontas and Caliver are both yellow fleshed varieties and productive. Average performance of the three best nectarines is given in table 8. Since this evaluation planting was established, additional varieties having potential for this area have been released. The newer varieties will be evaluated at the Wiregrass Substation. [13] TABLE 7. RATINGS OF NECTARINE VARIETY PERFORMANCE, WIREGRASS SUBSTATION, 1975-78 Variety Date of full bloom Date of first harvest Fruit size, in. Skin clr clrfrns Flesh frns Stone rees rees Dessert qaiy qaiy Yield, l/re l:te Flesh Bacterial clrleaf spot oo I~DLflr i. I~KlllV~3 V~ IYLlr~lll~llY~r VllZ\11511 ~JL\rV~IVL~IY~~. VVLI I severity 0 0 Degree of bacterial fruit spot 1975 Pocahontas ............ Cherokee ............... Nectared-5.............. Nectared-4.............. Lexington.............. Caliver................. 1976 Pocahontas............. Cherokee ............. Nectared-5.............. Nectared-4.............. Lexington.............. Caliver................. 1977 Nectared-4.............. Caliver................. Pocahontas.............. Cherokee............... Nectared-5.............. Lexington............... 1978 Pocahontas.............. Cherokee............... Lexington............... Nectared-5............... 3-12 3-13 3-13 3-16 3-13 3-13 3333333 7 5 7 3 1 no fruit no fruit 6-20 no fruit 6-20 6-23 5-21 5-31 6- 3 6- 8 6- 8 6-14 5-21 5-21 5-31 6- 6 6-13 6-13 6-16 6-23 6-30 7- 7 - - - - 6 8 9 10 3 3 2.9 - Y - 0 0 1.68 1.75 1.75 2.25 2.30 2.30 1.95 1.90 2.50 1.75 1.75 2.25 2.25 1.75 1.67 1.98 1.80 1.61 7 9 8 10 10 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 .8 .8 18.5 4.3 49.0 W Y Y Y Y 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 , c. 9 9 8 9 9 10 9 7 7 7 8 10 8 10 10 L Si S 7 7 7 7 6 8 10 10 10 11.1 78.1 81.7 53.3 34.6 91.6 67.9 85.5 114.0 145.3 157.3 309.8 127.4 51.7 111.6 Y M 0 0 3 1 1 6 3 1 0 0 0 W Y 3-11 3-11 3- 9 3-11 3- 2 3-11 3-25 3-27 3-26 3-24 7 7 9 8 8 8 9 8 8 7 10 10 10 10 10 Y Y Y Y Y W Y Y W Y Y Y L 0 0 s 0 L 10 8 10 Nectared-4.............. Caliver................. 1 3-26 3-24 713 7-10 1.96 1.61 9 8 10 10 10 0 0 0 'Al fruit split. TABLE 8. AVERAGE RATINGS OF THE BEST PERFORMING NECTARINE VARIETIES, WIREGRASS SUBSTATION Dae Dt f Fut Skin Flesh Variety of full bloom first harvest 6- 3 6-18 6-18 size, color in.qult firmness 7.3 8.0 7.5 Stn ftnreeness 10.0 10.0 10.0 Desr qualit 3 3 3 AverageFls yield, lb./tree 85.1 167.3 76.0 Y W Y 1976-77 average clorh Bacterial cor leaf spot 3.0 2.5 Bacterial fruit spot 0-L 0 0 Pocahontas...............3-12 Lexington............... 3-13 Caliver................. 3-12 1.72 1.83 1.75 8 8 8 3.5 AUBURN UNIVERSITY ~ith aln agric-ulrural research unit inl evefV' nlaic~ol'sorl al ea, A ubu rn t'n ixersitxst n s selx es the cteds ofi field crop, livestock. fotrestry, xtfd hoirticulhural producers in each region in Alabama. Exvery citiZen of the State has a1 stake in this research program, since anx advantage from new artd nd more eccono m ical xxa! s of prdc-llcj Q)i / r i i -Cn ing and handling flrm products directlx benefits the consuming public. ® Main Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn. E. V. Smith Research Center, Shorter. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11 12. 13 14 15 16 17. 18 19 20 Tennessee Valley Substation, Belle Mina. Sand Mountain Substation, Crossville North Alabama Horticulture Substation, Cullman Upper Coastal Plain Substation, Winfield. Forestry Unit. Fayette County Foundation Seed Stocks Farm, Thorsby Chilton Area Horticulture Substation, Clanton. Forestry Unit, Coosa County Piedmont Substation, Camp Hill. Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee Forestry Unit, Autauga County Prattville Esperiment Field, Prattville. Black Belt Substation, Marion Junction The Turnipseed-Ikenberry Place, Union Springs Lower Coastal Plain Substation, Camden. Forestry Unit, Barbour County Monroeville Experiment Field, Monroeville. Wiregrass Substation, Headland Brewton Experiment Field. Brewton. Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center. Covington and Escambia counties 21 Ornamental Horticulture Field Station, Spring Hill. 22. Gulf Coast Substation, Fairhope