ANR-994, New May 1998. Arlie Powell, Extension Horticulturist, Professor, Horticulture, Auburn University

---

Suggested Peach Varieties for Alabama

Selecting varieties is one of the most crucial decisions a grower must make when establishing a peach orchard. Planting varieties not adapted to an area can be financially disastrous. You must consider chilling requirements, disease resistance, and fruiting characteristics when selecting varieties for your area.

Groups of varieties adapted to particular regions of the state have been established through research, Extension variety demonstrations, and years of grower experience. In some cases, one or more varieties are adapted throughout the state, while some selections have a very limited growing area.

Give special attention to chilling requirements when selecting varieties. In southern counties where chilling may prove inadequate some years, growers should not plant varieties with chilling requirements that exceed the average for the area by more than 50 hours.

Winter Chilling Relationships

Winter temperatures vary across the state, with northern counties receiving the highest annual chilling (less than or equal to 45 degrees F) accumulations (Figures 1 and 2). Growers in southern counties should refer to Figure 1 which measures chilling until February 15 to determine average chilling in their area. Chilling received up until February 28 is generally considered effective for central and northern counties (Figure 2). Lack of chilling can be a serious problem in southern counties where chilling usually averages 550 to 900 hours. In the southern two-thirds of Baldwin, Mobile, and Houston counties, the average chilling is 450 to 750 hours, depending upon location.

In general, growers north of Birmingham should plant only varieties with a chilling requirement of 850 hours or greater. Very few 750-hour varieties are hardy enough for this area.

In central counties, it is best to plant only varieties with a 750-hour chill requirement or higher. Plant 650-hour varieties on the warmest sites.

Grow varieties with chill requirements of 550 to 900 hours in southern areas. In extreme southern counties (Mobile, Baldwin, and Houston), varieties with 500- to 650-hour chill requirements are ideal. The 400- to 450-chill-hour extremely early varieties grown in these areas can be quite profitable, but are very risky because of crop loss from freezes.

Different Fruit Types/Varieties and Their Characteristics

The number one criterion for a peach or nectarine variety is that it must fruit consistently in the growing area. A variety cannot be commercially profitable without successful cropping.

The second most important characteristic of a variety is the ability to adequately size its fruits. Only varieties that can produce medium to large fruits (for season of maturity) will prove profitable. Firmness of fruits is the third most important criterion, if fruits are harvested and transported any appreciable distance (50 to 100 miles or more). However, some softer-flesh varieties may be used successfully in Pick-Your-Own (PYO) operations or in a local farmer's market where handling and transporting are greatly reduced.

An outstanding variety must also possess a number of other attributes such as attractive skin and flesh color, fruit shape, low percentage of split pits, and acceptable flavor. Flavor becomes especially important when fruits are marketed locally,

You may grow both yellow- and white-fleshed peaches commercially. Since white-fleshed peaches are usually too soft for shipping long distances, they are primarily of value for local roadside marketing or PYO.

Summer Pearl and Belle of Georgia are two of the finest white-fleshed varieties grown. Eden is a release (1978) from New York which is worthy of evaluation.

Many other white-fleshed selections listed in Table 2 are quite old but give the producer an opportunity to have peaches of this type throughout the season. It is suggested that you only plant a small number of these older selection, most of which have softer fruits.

Scarlet Pearl, Southern Pearl, La White, Carolina Belle, and Summer Pearl are among the more recently introduced varieties. Some of these may prove firm enough for short-distance hauling. Scarlet Pearl and Summer Pearl have excellent fruit quality while the latter has a bacterial spot problem.

Newly introduced white-fleshed peach varieties from California (such as White Lady) that possess greater firmness (not listed in Table 2) are now being shipped to eastern markets. However, practically all of these varieties are unproven in Alabama, and testing is needed before recommendations are made. In the past, most California selections have not proven reliable enough in the Southeast for profitable production.

In addition to the standard yellow- and white-fleshed peaches having the normal round or "peach shape," growers who retail market roadside may be interested in the "peento" (saucer or cinnamon roll shaped) varieties. Saturn (white-fleshed) is the most common variety grown, but a number of promising new breeding lines are being tested in the state at the present time.

Freeze Problems and Cold Hardiness

Lack of consistent annual crop production is the most important problem facing the peach industry in Alabama today. Late freezes cause the greatest part of the problem. Winter freeze damage to fruit buds can also be disastrous, especially among the commonly grown, older "southern" varieties and the more bud-tender varieties from California and the USDA breeding program at Byron, Georgia. Extremely low temperatures throughout the winter months cause freeze damage to fruit buds and may also cause tree damage. Winter fruit-bud damage to tender varieties such as Camden, June Gold, Loring, Goldcrest, Goldprince, Juneprince, O'Henry, and Topaz often leaves few fruit buds to produce full crops.

The January 1985 record freeze (temperatures ranged from 2 to -20 degrees F across the sate) was so severe that the entire peach crop in northern Alabama was eliminated 2 months before the normal flowering period. However, growers are more likely to remember the annual damage caused by spring freezes during the flowering-early fruit development period of March and April as occurred in 1996 (worst freeze in 40 years). Growers must be prepared to deal with both winter and spring freezes.

As a first step, a peach grower should begin planting varieties with greater hardiness and cropping ability to decrease losses from freezes. After more than 18 years of variety evaluation through research, demonstration plantings, and grower experience across the state, we have identified a number of hardy peach varieties that will crop much more consistently.

Experienced growers know there are no perfect varieties. All have one or more flaws. However, the varieties identified will at least give the grower a greater opportunity for profitability. Ideally, varieties planted in central and northern areas should rate at least "fair to good" or higher for cold hardiness. Also, growers in these areas should be reminded that varieties in the "fair to good" hardiness rating are at the highest risk of crop loss to freezes.

Once hardy varieties become an integral part of the grower's production management program, the use of additional freeze protection practices (including proper pruning) will further improve annual cropping. this should be the goal of all producers. When approved by the EPA, the use of a promising growth regulator to enhance bud hardiness and delay flowering may eventually improve overall annual fruiting of varieties and permit planting of more tender varieties in some situations.

Fruit bud loss during winter freezes is not nearly as severe in southern Alabama as it is in ventral and northern counties. Because most varieties can withstand the winter temperature in southern Alabama, hardiness during flowering and early fruiting is usually of greatest importance. A variety that might rate "good" in southern Alabama may only rate "fair" in northern Alabama. For the most consistent performance, varieties used in southern Alabama should rate at least "fair" or higher in cold hardiness.

Varieties for Extreme Southern Alabama

Because of low as well as fluctuating winter chilling in these areas, variety selection is extremely important. It is generally best to plant some moderate chilling varieties (600 to 700 hours) as well as lower chilling (450 to 550 hours) in order to have varieties for successful cropping each year.

For growers in extreme southern Alabama, Flordaking is presently "among the best in the season" for the very early harvest period of late April through early May. However, growers should plan on using freeze protection or risk crop loss 25 to 50 percent of the time. Freeze protection is also required with other similar low-chilling varieties (400 to 425 hours). A good practice is to plant limited acerage in high-risk varieties (especially if annual freeze protection is not provided) until the site is evaluated.

Before Flordaking was released, June Gold had been the main "volume variety" in these southern-most counties. June Gold is still considered "among the best in the season" for this area. This variety has many disadvantages including a shattered pit problem. Some of the promising early varieties such as Empress, Regal, and Goldprince may at least partially replace June Gold in southern Alabama but not in other areas.

Texstar looks good, but fruit size is not as large as June Gold. However, if it is thinned well and girdled, it is one of the best commercial varieties for extreme southern Alabama. Its 500-hour chill requirement is well suited for this area. Texstar is subject to freeze problems like other very low-chilling varieties.

Flordaglobe was released as a 450-hour variety but appears to require at least 500 to 550 hours of chilling. Although it produces smaller fruit than Flordaking, it ripens a week or more ahead of this variety. Flordaglobe may prove worthwhile as the earliest variety available. early, heavy thinning and possible girdling are required to produce 2-inch and greater fruits consistently.

Regal, Delta, and Gala (Louisiana releases), along with Juneprince (USDA) , and Texroyal (Texas A&M) are showing promise as commercial varieties in these southern-most areas.

Peach varieties listed in Tables 1 to 4 are self-fruitful and may be planted in solid blocks without the use of additional pollinators.

• Table 1 provides information on yellow-fleshed varieties suggested for commercial use as well as trial plantings in all but extreme southern areas.
• Table 2 provides a "best of season" variety list.
• Table 3 provides characteristics of yellow- and white-fleshed varieties suggested for commercial and trial plantings for extreme southern Alabama.
• Table 4 lists characteristics of white-fleshed varieties for PYO or local marketing.

For more information, contact your county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find the number.