Harovin Sundown

Pear

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Bosc', 'Harrow Sweet', 'AC Harrow Crisp' and 'Bartlett'

Summary: The trees of 'Harovin Sundown' begin flowering late whereas they flower early to mid-season on 'Harrow Sweet' and mid-season on 'Bartlett'. The position of maximum diameter on the fruit of 'Harovin Sundown' is in the middle whereas it is clearly to slightly towards the calyx on 'Bosc' and 'AC Harrow Crisp' and clearly toward the calyx on 'Harrow Sweet'. The sides of the fruit of 'Harovin Sundown' are straight to convex whereas they are concave on 'Bosc' and concave to straight on 'Harrow Sweet', 'AC Harrow Crisp' and 'Bartlett'. The area of over colour of the fruit of 'Harovin Sundown' is small whereas it is absent on 'Bosc', medium sized on 'AC Harrow Crisp' and very small on 'Bartlett'. The over colour of 'Harovin Sundown' is light red whereas it is orange red on 'Harrow Sweet' and pink red on 'Bartlett'. There is no russetting around the eye basin, on the cheeks and around the stalk attachment of 'Harovin Sundown' whereas it is very large on 'Bosc'. At harvest, the area around the eye of 'Harovin Sundown' is slightly ribbed whereas it is smooth on 'Bosc' and 'Harrow Sweet'.

Description:

TREE: medium to strong vigour, medium to strong branching, semi-upright habit, begins flowering late, late maturity for consumption

ONE YEAR OLD SHOOTS: straight to wavy growth, medium length of internode, orange brown colour on sunny side, many lenticels
VEGETATIVE BUD: acute apex, slightly held out in relation to the shoot, small to medium sized bud support
YOUNG SHOOTS: strong to very strong anthocyanin colouration of growing tip, medium to dense pubescence on upper third

LEAF: outwards to downwards attitude in relation to shoot, medium to large length/width ratio, right-angled base, right-angled to obtuse apex, very short pointed tip, bluntly serrate margin, shallow incisions, weak curvature of longitudinal axis
STIPULES: present, short to medium distance from basal attachment

FLOWER: mainly on spurs, medium length bud, stigma below to same level as stamens
SEPALS: long, recurved in relation to corolla
PETALS: free to touching, medium size, broad ovate, rounded to truncate base, short to medium length claw

FRUIT: long, large maximum diameter, small to medium length/diameter ratio, position of maximum diameter in middle, large size, slightly to strongly asymmetric in longitudinal cross section, straight to convex profile of sides
SKIN: yellow ground colour, small amount of light red over colour, no area of russet around eye basin, on cheeks or around stalk attachment
STALK: medium to thick, medium curvature, straight to oblique attitude in relation to axis of the fruit, medium to deep stalk cavity
EYE BASIN, AT HARVEST: converging to erect sepals, shallow to medium depth, medium width, slightly ribbed relief around eye
FLESH: very fine texture, medium to firm, juicy
SEED: elliptic

DISEASE RESISTANCE: resistant to moderately resistant to fireblight (Erwinia amylovora)

Origin & Breeding History: 'Harovin Sundown', tested as HW614, arose from the controlled cross of 'Bartlett' and 'US56112-146' made in 1972 at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Station in Harrow, Ontario. It was selected as a hybrid seedling in 1982 and propagated by budding on pear seedling rootstocks. Propagation for regional trials in cooperation with the Western Ontario Fruit Testing Association began in 1984, and test trees were placed in regional trials beginning in 1986.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'Harovin Sundown' were conducted during the 2006-2009 growing seasons at the Jordan Farm of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Centre in Vineland, Ontario. The trials consisted of a minimum of 4 trees per variety spaced 3 metres apart and 4.5 metres between rows. The trees were grafted on seedling rootstock and were originally established during the 1998-1999 growing season.

Comparison table for 'Harovin Sundown' with reference varieties 'Bosc', 'Harrow Sweet', 'AC Harrow Crisp' and 'Bartlett'

Length of fruit stalk (mm)

Click on image for larger view

Pear: 'Harovin Sundown' (left) with reference varieties 'Bosc' (top centre), 'AC Harrow Crisp' (top right), 'Harrow Sweet' (bottom centre) and 'Bartlett' (bottom right)