TREE FRUIT BREEDING PROGRAMMES AT HARROW, ONTARIO, CANADA: PROGRESS 1960–1995

At Harrow, a peach and nectarine breeding programme was initiated in 1960, pear breeding was added in 1963 and apricot breeding in 1964. A recurrent mass selection breeding strategy has been followed to improve disease resistance, cold hardiness, and tree and fruit characteristics simultaneously. Selections placed in advanced test and regional trials are evaluated by other researchers and by the grower members of the Western Ontario Fruit Testing Association, data collected being used to determine whether a numbered selection should be introduced, tested further or discarded. Virus testing has been conducted at the Canadian Centre for Plant Health in Saanichton, BC, and true-to-name virus-indexed stock is placed in budwood orchards at Harrow to provide a source of propagating material. Plant Breeders Rights legislation was introduced in Canada in 1990, and cultivars introduced since 1990 are protected and subject to exclusive agent commercialization contracts. Named cultivars from the Harrow tree fruit breeding programmes include 24 peaches and nectarines, three pears and 11 apricots.