Peach and Nectarine Variety Performance in Kentucky

Abstract

Aware of the desirability of replacing some of older standard peach varieties, we planted and/or topworked some 10 to 40 trees of a number of promising varieties released by plant breeders, about two years ago. In order to get as much information as possible from these young trees in 1966, one half of the fruit of each variety were picked firm-ripe for truck shipment; the second picking was made one week later; and the last fruit were picked soft-ripe for the orchard freezer trade. Harvest dates of each picking were recorded, taking into account that these two-year topworked trees and three-year trees were ripening five to seven days later than fruit from mature trees were likely to ripen.