2019 ASHS Annual Conference

Rutgers Tree Fruit Breeding program continues to release new peach varieties, giving growers more options to choose from. Between 2009 and 2016 several new varieties comprising different flesh types were developed after extensive multi-year evaluations at several location in New Jersey, representing different agro-climates. Study comprised new cultivars with firm melting flesh (‘Evelynn’, ‘Tianna’, and ‘Selena’), partially stony hard flesh (‘Gloria’) and completely stony hard flesh (‘Scarlet Rose’) and traditional melting flesh cultivars such as ‘Bounty’ ‘White Lady’ and ‘Klondike’. Fruit and tree characteristics of these new peach and nectarine varieties are described in detail. We also conducted two or three year study to quantify storage potential of peaches with different flesh types at the post-harvest laboratory at Rutgers Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Bridgeton, NJ. Samples of 20-30 commercially mature, were evaluated at time of harvest, and every 3-4 days, up to three weeks. We evaluated multiple harvest dates for the most cultivars. Fruit flesh firmness, mass, diameter, background color, total soluble solids, and total titratable acidity were measured at each evaluation time. Firm and partially stony hard flesh type peach cultivars soften more slowly than traditionally melting flesh cultivars in the cold storage and to a large extent during room temperature shelf-storage – providing more flexibility to retailers and consumers.