Taylors Gold

Pear

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Doyenne du Comice' and 'Bosc'

Summary: 'Taylors Gold' has a smaller leaf than 'Bosc'. The size of the flower petal in 'Taylors' Gold ' is small while it is medium in 'Doyenne du Comice' and medium to large in 'Bosc'. 'Taylors Gold' has a large area of russet around the eye basin and stalk cavity while the area of russetting around the eye basin is small and around the stalk cavity small to medium for 'Doyenne du Comice'. The fruit stalk in 'Taylors Gold' is shorter than in 'Bosc'. The thickness of the fruit stalk in 'Taylors Gold' is medium to thick while it is thin to medium thickness in 'Bosc'.

Description:

TREE: weak to medium vigor, medium branching, fastigiate habit, beginning of flowering is mid-season, medium to late maturity for consumption
ONE-YEAR-OLD SHOOTS: wavy growth, orange brown colour on sunny side, medium to many lenticels
VEGETATIVE BUD: acute apex, position markedly held out from the shoot, medium sized bud support
YOUNG SHOOTS: absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration of growing tip, medium pubescence

LEAF: outwards attitude in relation to shoot, medium length/width ratio, right-angled shape of base and apex, short pointed tip, sharply serrated shallow incisions of margin on upper half, strong curvature of longitudinal axis
STIPULES: present, short to medium distance from basal attachment

FLOWER: mainly on spurs, stigma below stamens
SEPALS: spreading attitude in relation to corolla, erect attitude at time of fruit harvest
PETALS: not touching, small, broad ovate shape, rounded base, short to medium length claw

FRUIT: small to medium length/diameter ratio, position of maximum diameter is slightly towards the calyx, large, symmetric in longitudinal section, concave profile of sides
SKIN: yellow green ground colour, absent or very small area of over colour, large area of russet around the eye basin, medium area of russet on the cheeks, large area of russet around stalk attachment
STALK: medium to thick, weak curvature, oblique attitude in relation to axis of fruit, very shallow to shallow cavity
EYE BASIN AT HARVEST: medium depth and width, slightly ribbed relief of margin
FLESH: medium texture, medium to firm, juicy
SEED: ovate shape

Origin & Breeding History: 'Taylors Gold' was discovered as a naturally occurring limb sport mutation of 'Doyenne du Comice' on the property of Michael & Wendy King-Turner in 1985 at Riwaka, Nelson, New Zealand. It was selected on the difference in the skin of the fruit.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials were conducted at the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Summerland, British Columbia during the years 2008-2010. Plots consisted of 10 trees of each variety with a spacing of 1 meter between trees within the row and a spacing of 3 meters between the rows of trees. Trees for 'Taylors Gold' were planted in 2000, while those of the reference varieties were planted prior to 2000. All varieties were grafted onto the rootstock 'Old Home'.

Comparison tables for 'Taylors Gold' with reference varieties 'Doyenne du Comice' and 'Bosc'

Leaf length (mm)

Leaf width (mm)

Fruit stalk length (mm)

Click on image for larger view

Pear: 'Taylor's Gold' (top) with reference varieties 'Doyenne du Comice' (bottom left) and 'Bosc' (bottom right)