Cultivar Update

Once again we are watching the apple cultivar trials here in Ontario for outstanding attributes amongst numbered selections and varieties. It sometimes takes a few years and plenty of potential candidates to see where we may be headed with new material. Amongst the most outstanding of the materials we have seen is the Ambrosia®.

Most growers are now familiar with the Ambrosia cultivar and its attributes on the tree. We now have some pretty good evidence that this cultivar stores well in standard CA and maintains it's characteristic good qualities for at least 6 months after harvest.

The fruit is considered to be distinguishable from other apples because of its unique appearance and colour described as a pinkish blush over a cream background. The calyx end of the apple remains a golden yellow colour for most of the crop.

Ambrosia is now a limited acreage cultivar in Canada according to PICO representatives in BC. Both the USA and Canada will be growing this cultivar. The U.S. has been given the rights to grow 500 acres. This was largely the result of a desire to get production volumes in North America up faster. These plantings in the States will be in the State of Washington in the Wenatchee area.

To limit acreage of this cultivar in Canada, all trees delivered after July 1^st 2005 will be subject to a $3.75 per tree royalty. The future would see more acres planted in North America to match marketing plan objectives. In the future, Royalties would presumably be adjusted downwards to stimulate more planting as more acreage is allowed.

Part of the future North American production of Ambrosia will be coming from Ontario as one of the regions recognized as a producer of this cultivar by its owners. The distinct colour development of Ambrosia is highly dependent on cool nights in the preharvest period. Ontario could provide one of the finest coloured Ambrosia grown in North America.

For more information:
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300
Local: (519) 826-4047
E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca