Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
ity as well as high resistance to bacterial blight include 'All Gold', 'Candor',
'Clayton', 'Derby', 'Dixiered', 'Emery', 'GoldJim', 'Norman', 'Pekin', 'Roygold', and
'Surecrop'.
Low-chilling varieties (100 to 400 hours) recommended by fruit special-
ists in California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and/or Texas include 'Babcock',
'Delta', 'Earligrande', 'Flordacrest', 'Flordaglo', 'FlordaGrande', 'Florida Prince'
('FlordaPrince'), 'Gulf Crest', 'Gulf King', 'Gulf Prince', 'Sam Houston', 'Tropic-
al Beauty' ('TropicBeauty'), 'Tropic Snow', and 'ValleGrande'. Many of these
low-chilling varieties are hardy only in USDA Zones 8 to 9.
Flat or “doughnut” peach varieties have become popular in some markets.
Varieties include 'Galaxy' and 'Saturn', as well as selections from breeding
programs in New Jersey. While the fruits are an interesting novelty and can
provide niche market advantages, the trees have only produced low to vari-
able yields, and their disease resistance is only moderate. Be conservative
with these varieties, and evaluate them thoroughly before planting substan-
promising, newer varieties of peaches. Most peach varieties are self-fruitful
and do not require cross-pollination.
Rootstocks.
Peaches and nectarines are usually grown on peach seedling
rootstocks, most often Halford, Lovell, and Bailey. Bailey is reported to be,
possibly, the most cold-hardy of these rootstocks. Particularly in colder cli-
mates, some fruit tree nurseries use rootstocks from seedlings of locally ad-
apted varieties. In medium- to high-chilling climates where nematodes are
a problem, the clonal rootstocks Nemaguard and Nemared are sometimes
used, although Nemaguard is suitable for only very well-drained soils. In
low-chilling climates, Flordaguard is a good nematode-resistant rootstock.
Dwarfing rootstocks are not commercially available for peaches. Given the
naturally small tree size, dwarfing rootstocks are not really required.
