Stony Hard means the fruit does not produce ethylene, so it ripens without losing its firmness. It is a dream come true for all producers as well as for all traders, who can finally count on a prolonged shelf-life.
The three selections are FRF 1679 (yellow peaches), FRF 1681 (white nectarines) and FRF 1822 (yellow peaches). "The short shelf life of peaches and nectarines is currently one of the most critical aspects of the sector. When they ripen, peaches produce ethylene, a hormone that makes their flesh very sensitive to handling and processing," explains Alessandro Liverani, director of Forlì's Crea-FRF di Forlì.
To avoid these problems, producers have always harvested before the fruit was perfectly ripe. On the one hand, this made it possible to export to far away markets but, on the other hand, consumers could no longer enjoy the sweetest fruits. In the past few years, the demand for fruit with good organoleptic qualities has increased, and growers must respond.
"Stony Hard enable producers to carry out only one or two harvests. Processing centres can store the fruit for longer and distributors can reach markets that are further away. Last but not least, consumers can buy good peaches and nectarines that last longer."
FRF 1679 is a yellow peach with big grades, crunchy flesh and resistant to handling. The flavour is nice, sweet and sub-acidic. Harvesting is late and possible for over 20 days.
FRF 1681 is a white nectarine with big fruit with a well-coloured and slightly russeted peel. The flesh is crunchy, aromatic and tastes good. It is harvested 50 days after the Redhaven variety.
FRF 1822 is a yellow peach with big, round, well-coloured fruits. The flesh is sweet and crunchy. It ripens 7 days after the Redhaven variety but can remain on the tree for 21-28 without losing its compactness.
"The tree selections are currently being assessed and will be introduced on the market as soon as the tests are over."
