Joint experiments in France and Catalonia of new flat peaches-nectarines and canning peaches from INRA

For several years, INRA has been developing a peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] breeding program aimed partly at diversification. The selection objectives are more especially to create new varieties of peaches and flat nectarines better adapted to the needs of the French and European markets, as well as providing new canning peach varieties better suited to the constraints of the canning industry. Taking into account the interest of the Spanish market for these two fruit types, a trial was settled at IRTA (Lleida) to evaluate their agronomic potential of production in the pedo-climatic conditions of Catalonia, potentially favorable to these cultivars of medium chilling requirements. The results obtained in Spain and in France for several characteristics of the fruit (skin color, flesh firmness, size, juice traits: °Brix and acid total Meq/100 ml) and of the tree (type of pruning, flowering season, thinning, production level, ripening dates) are presented. They concern mainly two yellow flat nectarines, ‘Mesembrine’ cov and ‘Oriola’ cov, protected under the trademark ‘Platerine’®; three yellow flat peaches, ‘Oriane’ cov, ‘Ornella’ cov, and ‘Ordigan’ cov; and four original canning peach cultivars, ‘Fergold’ cov, ‘Fercluse’ cov, ‘Ferlot’ cov, and ‘Exp 7040’ cov. Their interest and performance are discussed in comparison to reference varieties. All these cultivars developed by INRA are edited in France by CEP INNOVATION.