HORTSCIENCE 51(3):300–301. 2016. California-adapted apricots currently grown in the San Joaquin Valley. Bloom intervals of early-blooming cultivar Apache and late- ‘Goshen Gold’: A Late-season Apricot blooming cultivar OrangeRed are provided with ‘Goshen Gold’ for comparison (Table 1). for Fresh and Dried Product Markets Fruit characteristics. Fruit of ‘Goshen 1 Gold’ are generally elliptic in shape with Craig A. Ledbetter a dull gold-yellow skin color that is not U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Crop enhanced by blush. The pubescent skin sur- Diseases, Pests and & Genetics Research Unit, 9611 South Riverbend Avenue, face of the new cultivar is smooth and has not Parlier, CA 93648-9757 been susceptible to rain-induced skin cracks. The pit is removed easily from the freestone Additional index words. fruit breeding, fruit quality, Prunus armeniaca fruit, a benefit for growers using the new cultivar as a dried product. Flesh is bright orange, finely grained, firm, and juicy. Fruit ‘Goshen Gold’ is the most recent apricot Fig. 1, demonstrating eight generations of remain on the tree well after commercial (Prunus armeniaca L.) developed by the apricot breeding that began in Fresno, CA, maturity, allowing sugars to increase and Agricultural Research Service Prunus breed- during the late 1950s. Of particular note in providing excellent fruit for a premium dry ing program in Parlier, CA. The new cultivar the pedigree is cv. Shobaig, the female product (Fig. 2). is self-compatible and capable of setting full grandparent of ‘Goshen Gold’. ‘Shobaig’ Fruit size, firmness, color, and juice crops without the presence of other cultivars was collected from the Hunza region of characteristics. Physical measures and juice to facilitate fruit set. ‘Goshen Gold’ fruit northern Pakistan during a federally spon- characteristics of ‘Goshen Gold’ fruit are ripen late, 10 d after ‘Patterson’ harvest. sored apricot germplasm collection trip in presented in Table 2, along with ‘Patterson’, Fruit of the new cultivar resist pit burning 1988 (Thompson, 1998). the major tonnage cultivar with a ripening well, are generally dull gold-yellow in color, date most similar to the new cultivar. Values and without significant blush. From ade- Description presented represent average ± SE of each quately thinned trees, fresh market producers character calculated from two separate har- can expect 70 g fruit that are juicy and fine Tree characteristics. ‘Goshen Gold’ trees vests during each of three consecutive years. grained with bright orange flesh. Postharvest exhibit strong vigor as compared with ‘Har- Fruit representing commercial maturity were life of ‘Goshen Gold’ at commercial maturity layne’ and a semispreading tree habit, being selected at each harvest on the basis of flesh has been very good, and fresh eating quality slightly more upright as compared with de- firmness. Trees had been previously fruit has been extremely favorable during presen- scriptor cultivars Harglow and Harlayne thinned by commercial thinning crews (6 tation at limited consumer trials. ‘Goshen (Guerriero and Watkins, 1984). Heavy main- to 8 weeks postbloom) to allow increased Gold’ fruit hang well on the tree and continue tenance pruning during the growing season sizing on remaining fruit. Flesh firmness was to accumulate sugar as maturity progresses. is necessary to enhance light penetration measured on the equatorial region of a cut Picked optimally for drying, ‘Goshen Gold’ and stimulate flower development for the fruit surface (skin removed) with an 8-mm produces a bright orange product with a low following year. Fruit are borne on both spurs tipped handheld penetrometer (D. Ballauf drying ratio and significantly better color and 1-year-old shoots, with higher quality Manufacturing Co. Inc., Washington, DC). retention during storage than ‘Patterson’. fruit always being on spurs. Spur density of Similarly, a freshly cut fruit surface was ‘Goshen Gold’ is heavy, resembling more its also used to obtain hue angle (ho), an in- Origin central Asian grandparent ‘Shobaig’ as com- tuitively understandable representation of pared with California-adapted accessions visual color (McGuire, 1992) using a chroma Tested as Y117-97-97, ‘Goshen Gold’ (Ledbetter and Peterson, 2004). meter (CR-400; Konica Minolta Sensing was planted as part of progeny no. 973065 Flowering characteristics. Preanthesis Americas, Inc., Ramsey, NJ). The CR-400 in Feb. 1998 and selected in June 2001. Late- bagging studies over several seasons have meter was calibrated to a standard white season fruit maturity is the characteristic that shown ‘Goshen Gold’ to be self-compatible, calibration tile before any flesh color mea- first distinguished ‘Goshen Gold’ from other consistently producing fruit after self-pollination. surements. After physical measurements were siblings and led to its selection and propaga- Chilling requirement of the new cultivar is completed, longitudinal slices were harvested tion. Although making a new selection is currently unknown, but phenological records from each fruit to form a composite for juice usually based on a review of quality charac- have shown the bloom interval of ‘Goshen analysis. Slices were juiced in a Panasonic teristics of the new accession as compared Gold’ to be slightly later than average for Juice Extractor (MJ-65PR; Panasonic Co., with an established competing selection or cultivar, quality comparisons were not pos- sible in ‘Goshen Gold’ in that it has suffi- ciently late maturity and fruit of all other selections and cultivars had already matured and dropped to the orchard floor by that time. Pedigree of the new cultivar is provided in

Fig. 1. Pedigree of ‘Goshen Gold’ apricot. Received for publication 29 Dec. 2015. Accepted for publication 1 Feb. 2016. Table 1. Three consecutive years of bloom interval (first bloom to full bloom) in Parlier, Fresno County, Thanks are extended to Sharon Peterson for tech- CA, for new Agricultural Research Service apricot ‘Goshen Gold’ and reference cultivars Apache and nical assistance in the lab and field. OrangeRed. Mention of trade names or commercial products ‘Apache’ ‘Goshen Gold’ ‘OrangeRed’ in this publication is solely for the purpose of z y providing specific information and does not im- Crop yr First Full First Full First Full ply recommendation or endorsement by the USDA. 2012 6 Feb. 24 Feb. 21 Feb. 4 Mar. 28 Feb. 21 Mar. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and 2013 15 Feb. 1 Mar. 28 Feb. 10 Mar. 10 Mar. 19 Mar. employer. 2014 10 Feb. 23 Feb. 18 Feb. 4 Mar. 26 Feb. 13 Mar. 1Corresponding author. E-mail: craig.ledbetter@ars. zFirst bloom represents the date at which less than 1% of flowers have opened. usda.gov. yFull bloom represents the date at which greater than 80% of flowers have opened.

300 HORTSCIENCE VOL. 51(3) MARCH 2016 Physical measures of ‘Goshen Gold’ and with promising alternatives to the presently ‘Patterson’ are quite similar in fruit weight, popular Patterson cultivar. axial diameter, and flesh hue, differing only Availability. The mother tree of ‘Goshen slightly for each of these characters. How- Gold’ is located in Parlier, CA, at the San ever, flesh firmness did differ (22.7 N vs. Joaquin Valley Agricultural Research Center 29.9 N) between the two cultivars (Table 2). of the Agricultural Research Service. This Contrasting the physical similarities, juice new cultivar has no restrictions placed on its characteristics of the two cultivars did differ propagation and is considered a free cultivar, appreciably, perhaps due to fruit maturity without registration or patent. Limited quan- differences as demonstrated in flesh firmness. tities of dormant budwood are usually avail- Expressed differences in total soluble solids able on request. Wood from the mother tree has and juice acidity led to large differences in been indexed by the National Clean Plant Net- Fig. 2. ‘Goshen Gold’ fruit before harvest on the Brix:acid ratio between the two cultivars. work Center at Washington State University– parent tree and as a brightly colored dried Elevated soluble solids (14.4%) and reduced Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension product. acidity (0.64 meq/100 mL) present in Center, Prosser, WA, and found free of ‘Goshen Gold’ samples led to a 22.5 Brix: known viruses and phytoplasmas. Scions of acid ratio for this new cultivar, whereas ‘Goshen Gold’ have been deposited at the Table 2. Fruit characteristic comparisons (average ± ‘Patterson’ juice chemistry yielded a much National Clonal Germplasm Repository in SE) of ‘Goshen Gold’ and ‘Patterson’ apricots lower Brix:acid ratio of 13.2. Brix:acid ratio Davis, CA, where requests can be made for grown in Parlier, CA, 2012–14. has been used successfully as a measure of research purposes, including development and Fruit characteristic ‘Goshen Gold’ ‘Patterson’ consumer acceptance, with higher ratios commercialization of new cultivars. Physical characteristic denoting higher eating quality (Jayasena Fruit weight (g) 68.1 ± 2.7z 67.1 ± 2.3 and Cameron, 2008). Literature Cited Axial 48.9 ± 0.7 49.0 ± 0.6 Dry product characteristics. An estimated diameter (mm) 9500 t (17%) of the 2014 California apricot Guerriero, R. and R. Watkins. 1984. Revised Flesh firmness (N) 22.7 ± 2.7 29.9 ± 3.9 descriptor list for apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.). o harvest was used for drying (B. Ferriera, Flesh hue ( ) 74.1 ± 0.6 75.4 ± 1.0 Intl. Board Plant Genet. Resources, Rome, Juice characteristic Apricot Producers of California, personal communication). Although this tonnage is Italy. Total soluble 14.4 ± 0.6 11.8 ± 0.9 Jayasena, V. and I. Cameron. 2008. Brix/acid ratio solids (%) small compared with world dried apricot as a predictor of consumer acceptability of Acid 0.64 ± 0.04 0.89 ± 0.13 volume, California dried apricot halves are Crimson Seedless table grapes. J. Food Qual. (meq/100 mL) known for their vibrant orange color and rich 31:736–750. Fruit maturity date 24 June 14 June traditional flavor. Quality characteristics of Ledbetter, C.A. 2012. Postharvest dried apricot zCalculated values are based on two separate harvests ‘Goshen Gold’ as a dried product have been color degradation of three California apricot per cultivar per year, and seven fruits were evaluated compared previously with ‘Patterson’, the accessions. Acta Hort. 966:163–168. per harvest for three consecutive harvest years. predominant drying apricot in California. Ledbetter, C.A. and S.J. Peterson. 2004. Utilization Drying ratio (fresh fruit weight:dried product of Pakistani apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) Secaucus, NJ). A 5-mL aliquot was used for weight) of ‘Goshen Gold’ was significantly germplasm for improving Brix levels in Cal- ifornia adapted apricots. Plant Genet. Re- titration to an endpoint of pH 8.1 for juice less than that of ‘Patterson’ (3.95 vs. 4.61), sources Nwsl. 140:14–22. acidity measure. The composite juice sample and color stability of ‘Goshen Gold’ during McGuire, R.G. 1992. Reporting of objective color was also measured with a handheld refractom- storage was significantly better than ‘Patterson’ measurements. HortScience 27:1254–1255. eter (Atago N1; Atago Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) (Ledbetter, 2012). Using this new cultivar as Thompson, M.M. 1998. Plant quarantine: A per- to determine total soluble solids concentration. feedstock for dried product will provide growers sonal experience. Fruit Var. J. 52(4):215–219.

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