Olsentwo Gala

Apple

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Royal Gala' and 'Galaxy Gala'

Summary: 'Olsentwo Gala' is an apple variety which produces conical to slightly globose fruit, whereas the fruit shape of 'Galaxy Gala' is less conical with a flatter base. The sepals of 'Olsentwo Gala' are shorter than those of 'Royal Gala' and the aperture of the eye is half open while that of 'Royal Gala' is wide open. There is a higher amount of over colour on the skin of 'Olsentwo Gala' than 'Royal Gala'. About 95 % of the fruit of 'Olsentwo Gala' achieve optimum red colour at the same time, and therefore the variety has the potential to be a single pick apple. In contrast, 'Royal Gala' develops its colour in stages and therefore requires several different picking times to achieve optimum colour of the harvested fruit. The over colour of 'Olsentwo Gala' is bright red with a small amount of darker red streaks. The over colour of 'Royal Gala' is red flecks and red blush with darker red streaks. 'Galaxy Gala' has an over colour of darker red to purple streaks over a darker red blush. 'Olsentwo Gala' has medium sized, slightly prominent lenticels, whereas 'Galaxy Gala' has small non-prominent lenticels. 'Olsentwo Gala' matures slightly before the reference varieties and has a higher sugar content than 'Royal Gala'.

Description:

'Olsentwo Gala' is an apple variety which produces trees with an upright growth habit. The major fruit load is borne on spurs. One year old shoots have moderately shiny, purplish brown bark, weak pubescence on the upper half and moderately few, small sized lenticels. The bud tips are pointed and the buds are adpressed to the shoot with a medium sized bud support. In cross section the shoot tip leaves are concave and have very weak pubescence on the upper side. The lower side of the shoot tip leaves is green with purple around the margins and on the midrib and veins. The fully expanded leaves of 'Olsentwo Gala' are medium sized and oriented upwards. The apex is acuminate, the margins are crenate and the upper side is dark green and very glossy. The lower side of the leaf is strongly pubescent. The stipules are small. 'Olsentwo Gala' flowers late and has pink and white flower buds. The flowers are single with free to touching petal margins. The petals are white and pinkish purple on the upper side and lower side and they are ovate in shape.

'Olsentwo Gala' produces large fruit that are symmetrical and globose conical in shape. There is a medium amount of ribbing. Crowning at the distal end is moderate. The eye is medium sized with a partly open aperture. The sepals are touching at the base. The eye basin of 'Olsentwo Gala' is moderately deep and medium to broad in width. The fruit stalk is medium in length and thickness. 'Olsentwo Gala' has a stalk cavity that is medium in depth and width. The surface of the fruit is smooth and the skin is moderately glaucous, waxy and thin. The ground colour of the fully mature fruit is yellow and there is a very high amount of bright red and dark red over colour in a flecked, streaked and blush pattern. There is no russet on 'Olsentwo Gala'. The lenticels are medium sized and slightly prominent. 'Olsentwo Gala' has cream coloured flesh and in cross-section the core line is absent or very weak. The locules are open. 'Olsentwo Gala' matures mid to late season and has a very good fruit setting. At maturity the seeds are brown and normal in shape. Browning of the flesh is medium in strength one hour after being cut. The fruit flesh is intermediate in texture, juicy and medium in firmness. Sugar content in the fruit juice is very high. Approximately 95% of the fruit of 'Olsentwo Gala' achieve optimum red colour at the same time, and therefore the variety has the potential to be a single pick apple.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Olsentwo Gala' originated as a whole tree mutation of 'Royal Gala' (Tenroy cultivar USPP #4121) and was discovered by the applicants in August 1989 in a four-year-old solid 10 acre block of Tenroy cultivar located in Prosser, Washington, United States. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was done by budding and grafting.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Olsentwo Gala' were conducted by the okanagan Plant Improvement Co. Ltd. at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland, British Columbia during 2000 and 2001. The trials consisted of 8 trees of the candidate variety, 9 trees of 'Galaxy Gala' and 10 trees of 'Royal Gala', planted on M4 rootstock. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 20 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Olsentwo Gala' with reference varieties 'Royal Gala' and 'Galaxy Gala'

Leaf length (mm)

Leaf width (mm)

Petiole length (mm)

Stipule length (mm)

Flower diameter (mm)

Fruit diameter (mm)

Fruit weight (g)

Total sugars in fruit juice (%)