Performance of Early Ripening Clingstone Peach Selections in South Carolina

The processing peach industry in South Carolina is largely based on `Babygold' varieties, which are late-season clingstone peaches. New varieties of high-quality peaches and nectarines with non-melting flesh that ripen earlier would allow more flexibility in seasonal processing schedules and avoid overlap with pome fruits. Twenty-four numbered selections from the Univ. of Arkansas and Rutgers Univ. breeding programs that ripen before `Babygold 5' were planted in 1995 near Clemson, S.C. Trees were budded on both Lovell and Guardian rootstocks. Bloom dates, fruit maturity dates, fruit yield, weight, soluble solids, firmness, flesh color, and tree growth were taken in 1997. No differences were observed among rootstocks for variety bloom and harvest dates, fruit yields, fruit quality or tree growth. Differences were found among varieties in all traits measured or scored. `NJC126', `A378', `A485', and `A82-8' ripened the earliest. `A429', `A473', and `A219' ripened the latest, about a week before `Babygold 5'. `A378' and `NJC126' had small fruit (<90 g); whereas `A473', `A43-143', `A9', `NJC130', and `NJC142' had large fruit (>170 g). `A429', `A473', `A43-143', and `NJC142' had the highest yields (31–39 kg/tree). An interaction between variety and rootstock was evident for fruit yield in some scion/rootstock combinations.