U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), University of Georgia, and the University of Florida scientists worked cooperatively to develop Gulfsnow, a new peach variety. The new variety should give growers in the southeastern lower coastal plain an edge in commercial production, and it offers consumers a more reliable supply of early-summertime peaches. Gulfsnow requires only 400 hours of chilling to flower and set fruit. By comparison, June Gold, a variety commonly grown in the targeted production area, requires 650 hours of chilling. In years when winter chilling is insufficient, June Gold can’t reliably set fruit, resulting in reduced crop yields.
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Horticulturalist Thomas Beckman, at the Fruit and Nut Research Laboratory in Byron, Ga., developed Gulfsnow to overcome the chilling problem, which has become worse in recent years as wintertime temperatures have trended warmer and chilling hours have declined. Gulfsnow has displayed good fruit shape, appearance, eating quality, firmness, and a very low incidence of split pits, making it attractive to commercial growers, according to Beckman. A plant patent (US PP25299 P2) was awarded for the variety in February 2015.
