An Update on the Provincial Apple Cultivar Trials

This year we will be keeping a close watch on some of the last material to be planted at the various sites across Ontario. Specifically we will be looking at some of the B.C. cultivars and selections for finish problems. The one notable is the ‘Aurora Golden Gala’ formerly 8S-69-23 out of the PICO program. At this point in time in Ontario, mature trees of this specific cultivar planted out years ago while it was still a numbered selection are not producing a quality finish that is necessary for a ‘Golden Delicious’ type of apple.

‘Aurora Golden Gala’ was planted into the eight sites in the spring of 2004 and most of the trees now have enough crop on them this year to get a feel for the apple at maturity. Like some of the other ‘Gala’ x ‘Splendour’ crosses tested in the North East at various locations including Michigan, New York etc. fruit finish has not generally been satisfactory.

The ‘Aurora Golden Gala’ tree is known for its excellent and tight growth habit as well as its high quality fruit as grown under B.C. conditions and climate. Unlike B.C., our climate can be described as a humid continental climate that produces russeting problems on sensitive cultivars.

Ontario’s growing season this year may not produce the amount of russet we can see in a year when spring conditions can be described as cooler and damper. This year our spring has been very warm and dry for the most part. I would suggest that some of the russeting we normally see may not be seen this year in any sort of abundance on susceptible cultivars.

This of course is subject to the various treatment regimes that these cultivars may be grown under. As of early August, no evidence of russeting is showing on the ‘Aurora’ test trees at the Lambton County site.

I would be pleased to hear from any producers or experimenters who have ‘Aurora Golden Gala’ in production.

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