Proceedings 31St Meeting

Proceedings 31st Meeting

13. - 15.03.2017, Bonn, Germany

Variety testing for the apple production in Northern Germany Dr. Karsten Klopp, Esteburg Obstbauzentrum, Jork

Federal Office for Agriculture and Food Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE)

President: Dr. Hanns-Christoph Eiden

Deichmanns Aue 29 53179 Bonn, Germany

Telephone: ++49 (0)228 6845 - 0 Fax: ++49 (0)30 1810 6845 - 3444 E-mail: [email protected]

Editorial Dr. Ulrike Bickelmann, Division 223, BLE Telephone: ++49 (0)228 6845 - 3357 E-mail: [email protected]

Date of issue

July 2018

Variety testing for the apple production in Northern Germany Dr. Karsten Klopp, ESTEBURG Obstbauzentrum, Jork The ESTEBURG is a 400 years old fruit farm production of the region Lower Elbe. While ten in the ancient land, a fruit growing region in years ago, Braeburn did not ripen in this region, Northern Germany. The fruit research centre today earlier selections / mutants are produced. ESTEBURG Jork is based on three columns: Moreover, this region is – in this point – consultancy, research and capacity building. profiting from the climate change; in the last 30 The applied research is carried out by the years an increase in the annual temperature by Chamber of Agriculture of Lower Saxony. In 1,5 Kelvin is stated. For the variety Holsteiner addition, the research group of fruit farmers Cox it is recommended to keep the area of of the ancient land (OVR) and the consultancy production stable. This variety is suffering circle for organic fruit production in Northern from the increase in temperature; mid-term Germany (ÖON) are active. The ESTEBURG is this variety will move in Northern direction a vocational training centre, especially in the to Schleswig-Holstein or Denmark. Boskoop experimental station, in the laboratories OVA, as standard variety is covering 5 % of the in the technical college and in adult vocational production area. For the shooting stars Nicoter- centre. On top of this, the booster club of the Kanzi®, Milwa-Junami® and Fresco-Wellant® an fruit school Jork e.V. supports the qualification increase in production area is recommended. in apprenticeship and in-service training. All parties involved are dedicated to the fruit Apfelanbau im Alten Land - Anbauempfehlung production of the region. The research comprises a) variety testing, b) root stocks and planting systems, c) integrated pest management and diagnostics, d) fruit quality and storage, e) business administration and market economy, f) the experimental station ESTEBURG and g) the experimental station Langförden for berry fruits. The development of new plantations with The focus of this presentation is the variety respect to varieties in the years 1981 to 2015 testing of pip fruit especially apples. At shows that producers are following the the beginning of each year, the annual recommendations of ESTEBURG. The varietal recommendation of varieties is published structure is shifting towards the varieties in the „work journal for the fruit year .... appreciated by consumers. 41 % of new for information of producers. In 2017, this plantations are for Elstar followed by Braeburn, recommendation was as follows: Elstar is one Red Jonaprince, Red Topaz, Nicoter-Kanzi®, of the top varieties in Northern Germany Milwa-Junami®, Fresco-Wellant® and in future and stands for up to 30 % of production. If certainly SQ 159-Natyra® too. this variety would be managed even 45 40 a little better the percentage could 35 be increased up to 35 %. For Jonagold 30 and Jonagored the up-grubbing of the 25 20 orchards is recommended as due to lack of 15 10 consumers‘ interest these varieties can no Neupflanzungen der% 5 longer be economically viable marketed. 0 However, the mutant Red Jonaprince could increase in production up to 25 %; fully red mutants do find interest in the market. Braeburn is up to 10 % in the 1981 2002 2015

The demand-related behavior is changing. The introducing and establishing new pip fruit fruit consumption is decreasing – pursuant varieties in Germany by the acquisition of to AMI – since 2003 annually by 1.6 % in the licences. The new varieties shall be produced average and the consumption in apples even and be marketed with the support of a common by 2.9 %. However, this decline is not linked to marketing concept. The DOSK maintains all varieties. The club varieties such as Nicoter- international contacts with suppliers of Kanzi®, Pinova and Cripps Pink-Pink Lady® innovative fruit varieties including ZIN / show significant increase in consumption. HS Osnabrück, JKI Dresden Pillnitz, Klein- For climatic reasons, Cripps Pink-Pink Lady® Altendorf (DLR RLP), Wageningen University cannot be produced in Northern Germany. Research (NL), Better3Fruit (BE), IfoRed Angers While Elstar being a trendy variety especially of (FR), Agroscope Changins Wädenswil (CH), the elder generation, the young adults up to 34 Centro Innovatione Varietale (IT), Konsortium are preferring the club varieties. Südtiroler Baumschulen (IT), Universität für The reason for this decline in demand for Botanik (CZE), Washington (USA), ENZA (NZ), apples from Northern Germany is partly due Prevar (A) etc. to supply from foreign countries e.g. Poland, Italy and overseas. Only club varieties are able The variety testing of ESTEBURG is neutral to increase their market share. They experience and indipendent. It starts with the contact to a higher appreciation (brand product), have breeders, owners of licences and nurseries. a better quality (taste) and they are a product For variety testing, ten trees are planted for innovation. In Northern Germany, fruit farms each new variety and tested for at least eight generally make profit only with an assortment years. The successful varieties are planted with of club varieties or as an organic holding. 120 trees each in the production testing; the Farmers that today produce exclusively promising varieties then are produced. All these varieties such as Jonagold, Braeburn and Elstar steps are supported by DOSK. produce high volumes and gain no profits. Today, trade is buying these varieties only if For variety testing by the Chamber of novelties / club varieties are included in the Agriculture of Lower Saxony at the ESTEBURG, delivery. This is the reason why the shooting the new variety / the new clone / the new stars are frequently grown under anti-hail nets mutant must be grafted on a suitable rootstock in order to guarantee the delivery capability. To in order to quickly obtain reliable results. The cover 1 ha with anti-hail nets, an investment of planting material must be of best quality and 60.000 to 80.000 € is necessary. virus-free certified. Bad basic material will provoke an extension of the time for testing For the future, the ancient land as a brand by eventually one year. The planting distances region needs new varieties. The new apple must be appropriate for the material. In testing, varieties are characterized by firm, crunchy, the vegetative characteristics such as strength juicy, sweet, aromatic apples with high or low of growth, habitus, susceptibility to diseases and acidity. Consumers are looking for individual pests are recorded. If a variety does not grow varieties with high recognition value or – well at the site of ESTEBURG with a marsh clay totally new – snack apples such as the variety soil and 800 mm rain (including summer) this PREMA96 / trademark Rockit®, market openers variety has no chance in this region. or seasonal varieties. Even red fleshed varieties could be part of it. The role of market openers In the range of generative characteristics, the for the ancient land could be taken over by the following are recorded: the flowering (date, early varieties such as Holsteiner Cox, Delcorf- position of the flowers), alternance, fruit setting, Delbarestivale® or Minneiska-SweeTango®; the pre-harvest fruit fall, crop, turns of picking last one being very sensitive to bruising but very (1-3), time of harvest (beginning September attractive and very tasty for the season start. to end of October), external and internal fruit The development of a variety by a single quality. breeder, a private consortium or a governmental institute precedes any variety testing. The German Fruit Consortium (DOSK) is an amalgamation of nine German fruit producer organisations with the objective of

Generative Merkmale Frucht-Größe – kumulierte Erträge 2014-2016  Blühtermine  Fruchtansatz 60%  Blühstärke  Juni- und Vorerntefruchtfall  Ort der Blüte  Erntetermin 50%  Alternanzneigung  Anzahl Pflückdurchgänge 40%

30% B3F 60 Ladina 20% WUR 37

10% Fruchtgrößenverteilung in % in Fruchtgrößenverteilung 0% < 55 55-60 60-65 65-70 70-75 75-80 80-85 85-90 > 90 Fruchtgröße in mm For each lot, the sugar/acid-ratio, the firmness Another important characteristic is the surface of the flesh, the ingredients are determined colour; Since years the rule counts „the more automatically with the machine Pimprinelle. red the better the price“ – but will this hold for in future? At the end of variety testing, a statement with respect to production value (yield, quality packout) and market value (external appearance, taste, juiciness, firmness, storage capability) of the new variety is possible. A successful variety is successful in each and every of the tested characters. Anteil Deckfarbe

80%

70%

60% Finally at the ESTEBURG, a sensory evaluation 50% is carried out by the so-called ESTEBURG-Panel 40% B3F 60 Ladina 30% of 15 to 25 testers. WUR 37 Anteil Deckfarbe in % in Anteil Deckfarbe 20%

10%

0% < 20 < 40 < 60 < 80 > 80 Farbklassen During the subsequent growing trial the conditions for cultivation of a new variety is checked. The check is dealing with fertilization, pruning, root pruning, thinning, storage, consumers’ tests and marketing. OVN is a cooperation of a producer organization and the consultancy ring at the ESTEBURG that is accompanying the The tested varieties partly differ strongly in production testing. If a variety suddenly shows their cumulated yields and in distribution of some weakness during production testing it fruit sizes. The demand is for sizes of 75 to 80 cannot be produced economically. mm. In addition, selection testing is carried out, e.g. in Elstar, Delcorf-Delbarestivale® , Holsteiner Cox and Braeburn. The intention is, to improve an existing variety, i.e. improving the percentage of surface colour, stronger / weaker growth, earlier / later harvest etc. The better selections / mutants are marketed under the name of the original variety. Elstar Palm-Elstar PCP® (Peter and Christa Palm) actually is the most crunchy and

© BLE 2018 4 Variety testing for the apple production in Northern Germany productive mutant of Elstar, followed by Red different colour types and flavours is going to Flame and Elswout. Ten years ago, the Elshof be developed. was the top mutant of Elstar. A first variety has been tested at ESTEBURG, Now the actual trends and developments: it has a mild acidity and a relatively attractive PREMA96-Rockit®, the snack apple with a size external appearance. of 40 to max. 70 mm (focus on 55 mm; about By the way, beginning 2017, the ESTEBURG did 80 g/fruit), sweet, marketed in a plastic tube, a present 120 varieties to different panels. premium snack with distinctive packaging that may be placed into the drink holder in the car. The staff of ESTEBURG is dedicated to support As this apple has a very tiny core with nearly no a competitive fruit production by carrying pips the apple can be eaten in total. out the research and the variety testing as differentiated as possible, by determining facts Red fleshed varieties – newcomers for which independently and by providing the results to a marketing concept as an umbrella brand for fruit producers.

V. d. Zalm Elpallo Elnica Red Flame V. d. Grift Leitsorte Redstar Dalistar Elstar Elrosa

PCP Elshof Bougie Roelse

Elshard Ahrweiler Stechmann Elswout

Impression aus der Sortendemonstration an der ESTEBURG im Dezember 2016