Tropicalized Peaches Can Be Produced in Central Mountainous Region of Puerto Rico

 In the central mountainous region of Puerto Rico coffee, citrus crops and banana are the main crops Fruits crops contributed   $30.3 million to PR agricultural gross income in fiscal year 2004-2005. As an alternative to coffee production, we evaluated the adaptability of four low-chilled peach cultivars (Flordaprince, TropicBeauty, Flordaglo and UFGold) to conditions of the central mountainous region during 2002 to 2005. These four cultivars were evaluated in two sites, Beneficiado and Montaña, in the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Puerto Rico in Adjuntas, P.R.  Number of fruits, fruit growth and weight   were evaluated. Temperature was measured at both sites and chilling units calculated using established chilling unit models. Trees were artificially defoliated by spraying with Zinc   Sulfate 20% during the first week of January to induce dormancy and flower induction. Flowering began in late January and early February depending on cultivar, first fruits appeared at the beginning of March. Three of the cultivars evaluated had optimum growth and yield during the last harvest season of 2005. Fruits maturing stage was from April to May, with fruits from 5 to 8 cm diameter weighing 80 to 140 gram during optimum market window. Data gathered at the two sites in Adjuntas shown, being Cultivars Tropic Beauty, Flordaprince and Flordaglo had higher number of fruits at Montaña site than at Beneficiado, but fruits were smaller.  Cultivar UFGold did not flower well and fruit set was very low. In conclusion, cultivars Tropic Beauty, Flordaprince and Flordaglo showed adaptability to climatic conditions of the central mountainous region of Puerto Rico and should be considered as an alternative commercial crop for this area.