Early ripening Apple "Asus" is expected to replace "Gala"

Original title: early ripening Apple "Asustek" is expected to end the unified situation of "Gala" experts have reached a consensus

A New early ripening Apple Variety "Asustek" in Zheng Guo Institute (Source: Zhengzhou Fruit Tree Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences)

"Gala" Apple (pictured online)

According to the latest news of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, "Asustek", a new disease-resistant, high-quality, early-and middle-ripening apple variety cultivated by the apple breeding research group of Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, has been approved by the national forest varieties; it has changed the situation that the domestic early and middle ripening apples are mainly foreign varieties, and is expected to replace "Gala" to become the main early and mid-maturing apple varieties in China.

It is reported that "Asustek" is bred by the hybrid of "Meiba" and "Hua Guan". The variety matured early and had large fruit: it matured in the first ten days of August in central China, which was close to the ripening period of "Gala". The single fruit weighed 241 grams and the fruit size was the same as that of the late-maturing variety Fuji. The shelf life is long: the fruit can be stored for about 30 days without desertification at room temperature and for 3 months under cold storage. The storability of the fruit is much higher than that of all varieties maturing in the same period. The sale of fresh fruit can be extended from the beginning of August to the double festival period. There is no fruit drop before harvest, which overcomes the shortcomings of fruit drop common in early-maturing varieties, and the fruit can be harvested in advance or concentrated after full maturity. The suitable planting range includes Shaanxi, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Yunnan and other regions, which can be planted as a substitute variety of "Gala" or as a pollination variety of Fuji and other main varieties.

Since 2008, "Asustek" has carried out multi-point regional tests and demonstrations in the apple industrial technology system of Yantai, Yuncheng, Baoji, Sanmenxia, Shijiazhuang, Shangqiu, Yili, Zhaotong and other test stations, with a total promotion area of more than 30,000 mu. Since 2012, it has been listed as the main variety by a number of test stations. Industry experts have basically reached a consensus that "Asustek" can replace or partially replace "Gala" varieties. (reporter qu Jian)