Breeding for quality hot climate apples suitable for the climate in Israel
The apple breeding program at the Volcani ARO aims to produce high-quality apples with low chill requirements, thereby expanding the range of varieties available to growers under changing climatic conditions. The program targets existing regions with marginal chill hours, as well as warmer areas where few apple varieties can currently be grown apart from Anna—a cultivar with very low chill requirements that tolerates relatively hot summers. As a result, Anna is widely grown in regions such as Egypt, Brazil, and Central America.
However, although Anna ripens early (around mid-June) and performs well in warm climates, it has a very short shelf life and softens within a few days.
To address these limitations, ‘Anna’ was crossed with several commercially successful cultivars to produce a wide hybrid population. Selection focused on four major traits:
- Low chilling requirement;
- Superior flavor and texture;
- Attractive skin coloration; and
- Longer shelf life.
