PROGRESS IN THE NATIONAL ASIAN PEAR PROJECT: A STUDY ON THE ADAPTATION OF SOME ASIAN PEAR (PYRUS SEROTINA REHD) CULTIVARS TO IRANIAN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Pear (Pyrus communis L.) is an important fruit in the temperate regions of Iran. The area of pear culture in Iran consists of 19,219 hectares with production of about 180,000 tonnes per year. Most pear orchards in Iran are located in Tehran (Karaj), Khorasan, Isfahan, East and West Azarbayjan and Ghazvin provinces. The Iranian fruit industry is not experienced in the culture and production of Asian (Japanese) pear (Pyrus serotina Rehd.) cultivars. In order to evaluate some Asian (Japanese) pear cultivars under Iranian climatic conditions, the national research project was started in 1997 at the Department of Horticultural Science, Tarbiat Modarres University (TMU), Tehran, Iran. Nine Asian pear cultivars named ‘KS’₆, ‘KS’₇, ‘KS’₈, ‘KS’₉, ‘KS’₁₀, ‘KS’₁₁, ‘KS’₁₂, ‘KS’₁₃ and ‘KS’₁₄ were introduced to Iran from Belgium. Scions were budded on European pear (Pyrus communis L.) and quince (Cydonia oblonga L.) seedling rootstocks in August, 1998. Growth characteristics and performance of the cultivars were measured from 1999 to 2004. Results indicated that all the Asian pear cultivars showed a good performance on European pear seedling rootstocks, although their growth was affected by genotypes. On European pear rootstocks, ‘KS’₆ and ‘KS’₁₀ showed better early growth performance and survival. In the first fruit bearing season of 2001, ‘KS’₈ showed the lowest fruit number per tree, and ‘KS’₇ the highest fruit number. ‘KS’₉ did not produce any fruit in the 2001 season. In the second season of 2002, ‘KS’₇ again produced the highest and ‘KS’₉ the lowest fruit number. Taste panel test results indicated good fruit taste for ‘KS’₆, ‘KS’₇, ‘KS’₁₀, ‘KS’₁₁ and ‘KS’₁₄, but ‘KS’₉ showed fruit skin and internal disorders on the tree before harvest. Research is continuing on budded cultivars to study rootstock effects and adaption to the soil and climatic conditions of the country. The second phase of project has been started with the planting of some of the genotypes in the North (Gorgan), Centre (Abarkooh), and North-west (Khorasan) of Iran in March 2003, and will continue with plantings in new fruit growing regions, such as Isfahan, Ormieh and Mashhad, during 2005 growing season.