HortResearch
   
Fruit breeding
Kiwifruit
Pipfruit
Stonefruit
Peaches & nectarines
Apricots
Berryfruit
Other crops
Hops
Genetic resources
Genetics
Optimising fruit production
Sustainable land use
Postharvest science
Applied pathology
Applied entomology
Biosecurity
Plant genomics
Insect science
Functional foods
Sensory & consumer science
Human health & performance
Flavour biotechnologies
Biosensors

Search
Contacts

Printable version

Apricots

Science programme: Pipfruit and summerfruit breeding

The main aim of this breeding programme is the development of apricots for the main growing regions of Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago.

The general breeding objective of the apricot breeding programme is the development of cultivars that:

  • Are well-adapted, precocious, and productive
  • Produce large and attractive fruit
  • Have good flavour and eating quality.

More specific goals include developing early-maturing lines that ripen in December in Hawke's Bay, and finding replacements for 'Sundrop' in both production regions. This is now of significance because of lack of winter chilling in Hawke’s Bay in some seasons, and size and cropping issues with this cultivar in Central Otago. Breeding is also directed at developing late-maturing apricots that will enable Central Otago growers to target late season export market opportunities.