Gabriel

Apricot

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Perfection', 'Harrowblush', 'Vulcan' and 'Benmore'

Summary: 'Gabriel' is an apricot variety which has vigourous trees with a drooping growth habit, differing from that of all the reference varieties. The claw on the flower petal of 'Gabriel' is longer than that of all reference varieties and the fruit of 'Gabriel' matures approximately two weeks earlier than any of the references. 'Gabriel' has fruit that are significantly larger than 'Vulcan' and 'Harrowblush' and slightly larger than 'Benmore' and 'Perfection'. 'Gabriel' differs from all the reference varieties in the size and shape of the stone. The stone of 'Gabriel' is larger than that of 'Benmore', 'Perfection' and 'Harrowblush'. 'Gabriel' has an oblong shaped stone, while 'Benmore' has an obovate stone, 'Perfection' has a circular stone, 'Harrowblush' has an elliptic stone, and 'Vulcan' has an oblong to elliptic stone. The fruit flesh of 'Gabriel' adheres more to the stone than the flesh of the other varieties.

Description:

TREE: very strong vigour, drooping habit
SHOOT: strong anthocyanin on tip, red brown colour on sunny side, medium bud support

LEAF: dark green on upper side, obtuse base, right-angled apex, short to medium length tip, crenate margins, medium undulation of margins, moderately concave profile in cross-section
PETIOLE: medium thickness, strong anthocyanin on upper side, more than three small nectaries present

FLOWER: flower buds on spurs and one-year old shoots, stigma above level of anthers, petal broad elliptic to circular in shape

FRUIT: matures early, large, triangular to ovate in lateral view, circular to triangular in ventral view, symmetrical, medium deep suture, medium deep stalk cavity, rounded apex, mucron present
FRUIT SKIN: smooth to bumpy, pubescent, light orange ground colour, low to medium amount of medium intensity orange red overcolour
FRUIT FLESH: light to medium orange, fine texture, medium firmness
STONE: medium size compared to fruit, oblong, moderate adherence of flesh to stone, medium bitterness when kernel is dried

Origin & Breeding History: 'Gabriel' was selected in 1993 from a population of open pollinated 'Cluthagold' seedlings planted in 1986 on the Clyde Research Orchard in Central Otago, New Zealand. 'Cluthagold' is a New Zealand bred variety originating from a cross of the old variety 'Moorpark' and the Canadian variety 'Sundrop'.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Gabriel' were conducted by the okanagan Plant Improvement Co. Ltd., in test blocks at the Certified Budwood Orchard, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Summerland, B.C. during 2002 to 2005. The trials consisted of 6 trees of each of the candidate varieties 'Benmore', 'Vulcan' and 'Gabriel', 4 trees of 'Perfection' and 2 trees of 'Harrowblush', all grown on Bailey rootstock and planted 6 feet apart in rows in the orchard. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 10 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Gabriel' with reference varieties 'Perfection', 'Harrowblush', 'Vulcan' and 'Benmore'

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Length of claw on petal (mm)

Fruit weight (g)

Stone weight (g)

Click on image for larger view

Apricot: 'Gabriel' (top centre) with reference varieties 'Vulcan' (top left), 'Benmore' (top right), 'Harrowblush' (bottom left) and 'Perfection' (bottom right)