Sciros

Apple

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Ambrosia', 'Splendour' and 'Mutsu'

Summary: 'Sciros' is an apple variety that produces vigourous trees which begin flowering significantly later than 'Ambrosia' and 'Splendour'. The fruit of 'Sciros' is globose in shape, whereas 'Ambrosia' and 'Splendour' have globose conical shaped fruit. There is significantly more glaucosity (bloom) and less waxiness on the skin of 'Sciros' fruit than that of 'Ambrosia'. 'Sciros' has a creamy yellow ground colour with a moderately high amount of pinkish red overcolour. 'Ambrosia' has bright yellow ground colour with a medium amount of red overcolour. 'Mutsu' has greenish yellow ground colour and little or no overcolour. The overcolour of 'Splendour' is a much darker red than that of 'Sciros'. The fruit of 'Sciros' matures very late in the harvest season, about two weeks later than 'Ambrosia' in the Okanagan Valley.

Description:

'Sciros' is a dessert apple variety which produces vigourous trees with an upright to spreading growth habit and many branches. The major fruit load is borne on spurs. One year old shoots have moderately shiny, purplish brown bark, moderately strong pubescence on the upper half and a medium number of small lenticels. The branches are slightly thin and the internodes are short. 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 to flat and have weak pubescence on the upper side. The lower side of the shoot tip leaves is purple-green with purple colouration on the veins and petiole. There is no leaf lobing. The fully expanded leaves of 'Sciros' are moderately large and oriented upwards and slightly outwards. The apex is acuminate, the margins are crenate and the upper side is medium to dark green and glossy. The lower side of the leaf is moderately pubescent. Anthocyanin colouration on the veins is weak. The leaf petioles are medium in length and the stipules are moderately small. Bud burst for 'Sciros' is mid to late-season but full bloom occurs very late in the season. The variety has white and purple flower buds and a green pedicel. The flowers are average in size and single with overlapping petal margins. The petals are light to medium pink on the upper side and purplish pink fading to white on the lower side. The upper side of the petals fade to white as the flower ages.

'Sciros' produces very large fruit that are symmetrical and globose in shape. Moderate ribbing is present. Crowning at the distal end is moderately strong. The eye is large and has an open aperture. The sepals are long and free (not touching). The eye basin of 'Sciros' is moderately deep and broad. The fruit stalk is medium in length and thickness and the stalk cavity is medium in width and depth. The surface of the fruit is smooth and the skin is glaucous, with no waxiness and moderate thickness. The ground colour of the fully mature fruit is creamy yellow and there is a moderately high amount (approximately 65%) of bright pink-red overcolour in a blush pattern. There is a low amount of russet on 'Sciros', positioned around the eye basin and on the cheeks. The lenticels are large and very prominent. 'Sciros' has creamy yellow coloured flesh and in cross-section the core line is moderately distinct. The locules are open. 'Sciros' matures very late (end of October in Summerland, British Columbia) and has good fruit setting. At maturity the seeds are brown and conical in shape. Browning of the flesh is strong one hour after being cut. The fruit flesh is moderately fine in texture, juicy and firm. Sugar content in the fruit juice is high.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Sciros' was selected in 1984 from a population of seedlings derived from crossing the apple varieties 'Gala' and 'Splendour'. The selection was carried out by HortResearch in Havelock North, New Zealand. The criteria for selection were bright red fruit colour, excellent eating quality and long storing ability. After selection the variety was increased by asexual propagation.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Sciros' were conducted by the okanagan Plant Improvement Company Limited (PICO) at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland, British Columbia during 2002. The trials consisted of 6 trees, grafted onto M26 rootstock and planted in 1999. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 10 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Sciros' with reference varieties 'Ambrosia', 'Splendour' and 'Mutsu'

Petiole length (mm)

Flower diameter (mm)

Fruit diameter (mm)

Length of fruit stalk (mm)

Total sugars in fruit juice (%)