Inge De WitAnnemarie Auwerkerken

Progress in  Better3fruit’s Apple and Pear Breeding Program

Eufrin meeting ‐ Feb 2013

OverviewHistory and Activity of Better3fruit

Mission Better3fruit

Breeding Objectives Apple Breeding + results

Breeding Objectives Pear Breeding + results

History of the company1988 start Apple breeding

collaboration between:

Tree nursery NV Johan Nicolaï

Catholic University of Leuven (Fruitteeltcentrum KUL ‐ Prof. Keulemans)

2000 Better3fruit: private company

2005 start Pear breeding at Sempra, Cz

2013 9 commercial apple varieties

Activity of Better3fruitPrivate and independent5 shareholders:

• KULeuven• Gemma‐Frisius II• European Fruit Co‐operation (EFC)• Belgian Farmers Association• Brava

Variety innovation• Breeding Apple and Pear• Introduction into the market

Intellectual property management

Fruit that meets the demands of consumers and industry:high‐qualitynovelcontrolled production and distribution process

Mission

‘Create new and better fruit!’

Breeding Objectives Apple

Breeding for commercial products• 10.000 grafted trees/year

Pre‐breeding program for:• Major gene resistance• Pyramidization resistance genes• Specific quality traits (shape, color, red flesh,…)

Commercial Breeding Objectives75% Quality

Fruit quality• Texture and Taste• Cold storage + Shelf life

Attractivinessappeal and uniformity

Productivity and regular bearing

25% Durable disease resistance + QualityScab, Powdery mildew, Nectria, Erwinia

Commercial product and advanced selections• Quality• Quality + scab resistance• Quality + scab resistance + disease tolerance

Selections under evaluation• Quality ( + scab resistance) (+ disease tolerance)• New scab resistance sources (+ quality)• Specific quality traits: red flesh, shape, color

Portfolio Apple

Breeding Objectives PearFruit quality• texture and taste• long cold storage• extended shelf life

Appeal• “bright red blush”• uniformity

Tree• Productivity and regular bearing• Parthenocarpy

Disease resistance• Erwinia amylovora

Breeding Pear• Pear program

started 2005   10.000 grafted trees/ yearFirst fruit evaluated in 2012:

• Grafted trees• Sempra‐Litomerice, Cz

Portfolio Pear

Advanced selectionPear1: red blushed Conference type

First selections under evaluation:Crosses of 2005Grafted on rootstock in 2008First results:

Portfolio Pear

//www.better3fruit.com/erg 36Rillaar

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