Nicogreen

Apple

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Granny Smith' and 'Golden Delicious'

Summary: The one-year-old shoot of 'Nicogreen' is medium to thick with few lenticels while the shoot of 'Granny Smith' is thin with a medium number of lenticels and that of 'Golden Delicious' is thin to medium thick with many lenticels. The sunny side of the one-year-old shoot of 'Nicogreen' is reddish brown whereas it is light brown for 'Granny Smith' and dark brown for 'Golden Delicious'. The time of flowering begins late in the season for 'Nicogreen' while it begins mid-season for 'Golden Delicious'. The leaf and petiole of 'Nicogreen' are longer than those of both reference varieties. The fruit of 'Nicogreen' is medium sized while that of 'Golden Delicious' is large. The fruit of 'Nicogreen' is smaller in diameter than that of 'Granny Smith' and shorter and smaller in diameter than that of 'Golden Delicious'. The fruit of 'Nicogreen' is globose whereas the fruit of 'Granny Smith' and 'Golden Delicious' are conic shaped. The ground colour of the fruit of 'Nicogreen' is green while it is yellow for that of 'Golden Delicious'. The fruit of 'Nicogreen' has many medium sized lenticels while that of 'Granny Smith' has many large lenticels and that of 'Golden Delicious' has few small lenticels. The stalk of the fruit of 'Nicogreen' is shorter than that of 'Golden Delicious'.

Description:

TREE: medium to strong vigour, ramified type, spreading growth habit, bearing fruit on spurs and long shoots
ONE-YEAR OLD SHOOT: medium to thick, reddish brown on sunny side, sparse to medium pubescence, few lenticels

LEAF: outwards attitude, medium to large length to width ratio, medium green, serrate type two margin, absent or sparse pubescence on lower side
PETIOLE: small amount of anthocyanin colouration extending from base

FLOWER: begins flowering late-season, dark pink at balloon stage, large diameter when pressed into horizontal position, petal arrangement is intermediate (between not touching and overlapping), stigma same level as anthers

FRUIT: absent or very small extent of anthocyanin overcolour on young fruit, medium size, medium to large height to diameter ratio, globose shape, absent or weak ribbing, moderate crowning at calyx end, large eye, medium to long sepals, absent or small area of russet around stalk on cheeks and around eye basin, moderately open aperture of locules
SKIN: absent or weak bloom, absent or weak greasiness, green ground colour, absent or very small area of overcolour, absent to very narrow stripes, many medium sized lenticels
STALK: medium to thick, stalk cavity medium to deep and medium to broad
EYE BASIN: medium to deep, medium to broad
FLESH: firm, white

QUALITY: mid to late harvest maturity, early eating maturity

Origin & Breeding History: 'Nicogreen' originated from a controlled cross-pollination between the variety 'Delcorf', as the female parent, and the variety 'Granny Smith', as the male parent, in May 1989 in Sint-Truiden, Belgium. Seeds were harvested from the cross-pollinated fruit in November 1989 and germinated in March 1990 at the University of Leuven in Belgium. Between 1990 and 1991, the resulting seedlings were grown in a nursery at K.U. Leuven in Belgium. In the winter of 1991 to 1992, the top end of the seedlings were grafted onto M27 VF rootstocks. In 1992 and 1993, the bench grafted genotypes were cultivated in the fruit tree nursery of NV Johan Nicolaï in Sint-Truiden, Belgium and in March 1994, they were replanted to the 1st screening parcel of NV Johan Nicolaï in Fernelmont, Belgium. In September 1996, first fruit was observed and the new variety was selected for further evaluation. In the winter of 1996 to 1997, 35 trees were grafted onto M9 rootstocks and in March 1998 planted on 2nd screening parcel of NV Johan Nicolaï in Sint-Truiden, Belgium. Between September 1999 and 2003, observations were made and final selection of the trees occurred. 'Nicogreen' was selected based on its fruit quality, storability and appearance.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial of 'Nicogreen' was conducted in 2014 and 2015 in the Summerland Varieties Corporation test plot, at 4200 Block, Highway 97, in Summerland, British Columbia, Canada. The trial was planted in 2012 and included 9 trees each of the candidate and reference varieties which were grafted onto rootstock variety 'M9' using a super spindle planting scheme. The trees were planted 0.45 metres apart in rows that were spaced 3 metres apart from each other. Observations and measurements were taken from 9 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of the candidate and reference varieties.

Comparison tables for 'Nicogreen' with reference varieties 'Granny Smith' and 'Golden Delicious'

Leaf blade length (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Fruit height (cm)

Fruit diameter (cm)

Fruit stalk length (cm)

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Apple: 'Nicogreen' (centre) with reference varieties 'Golden Delicious' (left) and 'Granny Smith' (right)

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Apple: 'Nicogreen' (centre) with reference varieties 'Golden Delicious' (left) and 'Granny Smith' (right)