Vulcan

Apricot

Variety Description

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

Summary: 'Vulcan' is an apricot variety which has more vigourous trees than 'Benmore', 'Perfection' and 'Harrowblush'. The fruit of 'Vulcan' matures approximately two weeks later than 'Gabriel' and has a truncate apex with no mucron, whereas 'Gabriel', 'Benmore' and 'Harrowblush' have a more rounded apex and 'Gabriel' and 'Harrowblush' both have a mucron present. The stone of 'Vulcan' is larger than that of 'Benmore', 'Perfection' and 'Harrowblush'. The dried kernel of the stone of 'Vulcan' is not bitter, whereas there is moderate or strong bitterness in all the other four varieties.

Description:

TREE: very strong vigour, spreading habit
SHOOT: strong anthocyanin on tip, purple brown on sunny side, small to medium bud support

LEAF: dark green on upper side, truncate base, acute apex, medium length tip, crenate margins, medium undulation of margins, moderately concave profile in cross-section
PETIOLE: medium thickness, strong anthocyanin on upper side, two to three very small nectaries present
FLOWER: flower buds on spurs and one-year old shoots, stigma above level of anthers, petal circular in shape

FRUIT: matures mid-to-late season, small to medium size, ovate in lateral view, elliptic in ventral view, symmetrical, medium to deep suture, deep stalk cavity, truncate apex, mucron absent
FRUIT SKIN: smooth, pubescent, light orange ground colour, medium to high amount of medium intensity orange red overcolour
FRUIT FLESH: light to medium orange, fine texture, medium firmness
STONE: medium size compared to fruit, oblong to elliptic, weak adherence of flesh to stone, little or no bitterness when kernel is dried

Origin & Breeding History: 'Vulcan' 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 'Vulcan' 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 'Vulcan' with reference varieties 'Perfection', 'Harrowblush', 'Gabriel' and 'Benmore'

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Length of claw on petal (mm)

Fruit weight (grams)

Stone weight (grams)

Click on image for larger view

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