The National Asian Pear (Pyrus serotina Rehd) project in Iran: compatibility and commercial studies of introduced cultivars

K. Arzani
The wide range of temperature and specific climatic conditions in Iran creates potential features for the Iranian fruit industry in terms of culture and producing high quality of different fruit crops. In addition, there is good potential for the establishment of orchards with newly introduced fruit species in suitable areas. The main objective of the National Asian Pear project at Tarbiat Modares University (TMU) was to examine and evaluate the possibility of culture and production of new pear species (Pyrus serotina Rehd.) in suitable areas of Iran. The improvement of the Iranian pear gene pool and breeding programs was the other objective. Phase I of the project have been started at TMU with a successful introduction of nine cultivars from Belgium in 1998. After quarantine inspection, evaluation, and initial propagation, introduced cultivars were propagated for compatibility studies in various climatic conditions of Iran. Phase II of the project have been carried out from 2006 to 2014 growing seasons for compatibility studies of the introduced germplasm, mainly at TMU Asian pear collection and research orchards at Tehran and followed in more than 25 different sites including horticulture research centers, universities, and private commercial orchards as well as some small home gardens that are located in various climatic conditions of the country. Results based on the data obtained from different experimental sites revealed promising compatibility, although the performance of trees and the quality of fruit produced were influenced by different climatic conditions. Asian pear trees showed high productivity in most of the studied cultivars. The fruit produced from the introduced cultivars showed difference in color, shape, and season of maturity, so grouped into the early, mid, and late-maturing harvest. The obtained data will be analyzed and used to continue the project in Phase III in the future coming growing seasons for culture and orchard management, economic, commercial, and breeding purposes.
Arzani, K. (2021). The National Asian Pear (Pyrus serotina Rehd) project in Iran: compatibility and commercial studies of introduced cultivars. Acta Hortic. 1315, 91-98
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2021.1315.14
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2021.1315.14
Asian pear, plant ıntroduction, compatibility study, germplasm evaluation, pear
English

Acta Horticulturae