PE4UNIBO* Lucy Red™ is a new pear variety that matures a few days before Abate Fetel. The fruit is very interesting because at maturity it has a red over colour covering 90% of the surface and has an excellent shelf-life.
| Variety denomination | PE4UNIBO |
|---|---|
| Thematic area | Plant varieties |
| Ownership | ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA' DI BOLOGNA |
| Breeders | Vincenzo Ancarani, Stefano Musacchi, Silviero Sansavini |
| Protection | European Community, United States |
| Licensing status | Rights of multiplication, production and marketing not yet licensed. |
| Species | Pyrus communis L. |
The new pear variety PE4UNIBO* Lucy RedTM comes from a genetic improvement programme which began in the 1990s. Today over 23,000 seedlings have been obtained from 276 cross-breeding combinations (of which 69 for resistance to disease and insects). From the work carried out in recent years on the seedlings from the first cross-breeding session in 1990-93, 389 genotypes were identified, taken to phase S2 (multiplied and assessed on small plots of 3-5 trees); of these, 49 were taken to a subsequent evaluation phase (on larger plots and in different growing conditions). Finally, for four selections it was possible to envisage further developments which led to the application for protection with applications for plant variety rights on 8 April 2014 (PE1UNIBO, PE2UNIBO. PE3UNIBO, PE4UNIBO). Since 2007, the genetic improvement activities on pears at the University of Bologna have also been supported by cooperation with CIV (Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti) from S. Giuseppe di Comacchio (Ferrara) with whom the commercial strategies will be decided.
- Tree: medium vigour, good affinity with quince. Medium cropping.
- Flowering: Late flowering.
- Time of maturity: The fruit ripens intermediately, in the first decade of August on average 1 days before Williams.
- Fruit: attractive, large in size with elongated calebassiform-pyriform shape (like Abate Fétel). Smooth skin with deep red over colour covering around 90% of the fruit; small lenticels and widespread roughness around the eye and stalk (10% of the surface). Creamy-white, crisp, juicy and aromatic, sweet and good flavoured flesh. Good shelf-life, up to 6 months in normal atmosphere at -1°C.
- Agronomic evaluation: The pears are borne mainly on shoots, as well as on 2-3 year branches.
Patents and Trade Marks:
- Community plant variety right application (EU plant variety rights, c/o CPVO) no. 2014/0972 held by Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna. EU trade mark Lucy Red™ no. 013234811/2014 filed by the University of Bologna.
- Sansavini S., Musacchi S., Ancarani V., 2002. Four new varieties by the University of Bologna. Frutticoltura. n. 10-2013: 20-24