Lina Militaru

M d lina BUTAC, M d Sergiu Budan

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NEW BREEDING RELEASES FROM THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE 
FOR FRUIT GROWING, PITE TI 
 
Sergiu BUDAN, M d lina BUTAC, M d lina MILITARU 
 
Research Institute for Fruit Growing, Pitesti, O.P.1, C.P. 73, Pite ti, Arges, 110006,  
Phone: 0040-248-278066; Fax: 0040-248-278477; E-mail: office@icdp-pitesti.ro 
 
Corresponding author e-mail: sergiu_budan@yahoo.com 
 
Abstract 
 
The apple, pear, plum and cherries breeding program was started at the Research Institute for Fruit Growing, Pitesti, 
in 1967, with the constant main goal to release new varieties of superior characteristics than the al,ready existing ones. 
During this period of time, specific objectives have been established for each particular species according to their 
agrobiological particularities and technological progress, increasing the available genefund and knowledge 
accumulation. This article presents a synthesized overview of the objectives and breeding activities developed in the last 
years, which afforded registration of new cultivars. In addition, it provides the description of their main biological 
characteristics and technological particularities. 
 
Key words: new cultivars, apple, pear, plum, cherries. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
According to the specific breeding objectives 
for each particular species, over the last decade, 
new varieties have been released, with superior 
characteristics than the already existing ones in 
the commercial Romanian fruit growing, as a 
result of constant selection and evaluation of 
apple, pear, plum and cherries performed at the 
Research Institute for Fruit Growing, Pitesti. 
This article presents a synthesized overview of 
the objectives and breeding activities developed 
over the last years at the institute, as well as 
some of the most recently released cultivars. 
 
MATERIAL AND METHOD  
 
Over the last years, the sour cherry varieties 
have been researched for according to the 
specific characteristics of each fruit species, 
specific breeding objectives as fruit quality 
(taste, firmness, juiciness, commercial 
appearance), combination of functionally 
different major resistance genes to scab 
(Venturia inaequalis), tolerance to powdery 
mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha), storage 
maintaining and shelf life extension for apple; 
resistance to fire blight (Erwinia amylovora), 
tolerance to Psylla sp., late ripening, fruit 
quality and high yielding for pear; early or late 
fruit ripening, high yielding, high fruit quality 
for the fresh market or processing (drying, 
compotes, jams), spur fruiting, tolerance to 
PPV (Plum Pox Virus) and self fertility for 
plum; extension of harvesting season (early and 
late ripening cultivars), tolerance to leaf spot 
(Blumeriella jaapii) and brown rot, high 
productivity, fruit quality and cracking 
resistance for sweet cherry; self fertility, red 
colored fruit (skin, flesh, juice), tolerance to 
leaf spot and brown rot, upright or spreading 
tree habit, small and spherical stone shape and 
high yielding capacity [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].  
The annual breeding activity consisted in seven 
cross pollinations, about 3,500 blossoms 
pollinated by conventional methods, 1,000 
seedlings, first evaluation of 8,000 seedlings, 
second evaluation of 50 selections for apple; 5 
cross pollinations, 2,000 blossoms pollination, 
400 seedlings, first evaluation of 1,500 
seedlings, second evaluation of 20 selections 
for pear; 20 cross pollinations, 4,000 flowers 
pollination, 400 seedlings, first evaluation of 
5,000 seedlings, second evaluation of 60 
selections for plum; 10 cross pollinations, 8,000 
flowers pollination, 200-500 seedlings, first 
evaluation of 3,000 seedlings, second 
evaluation of 40 selections for sweet cherry; 10 
cross pollinations, 9,000 flowers pollination, 
600-1,000 seedlings, first evaluation of 4,500 
93
AgroLife Scientific Journal - Volume 1, 2012
CD-ROM ISSN 2285-5726; ISSN-L 2285-5718
 
seedlings, second evaluation of 40 selections 
for sour cherry.  
For each species, the main varieties used as 
genitors in cross combination, in relationship 
with breeding objectives, are showed in tables 
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 [6]. 
 
Table 1. Genitors used in the apple breeding 
Fruit 
quality 
Resistance 
to scab 
Resistance to 
Podosphaera 
leucotricha 
Storage 
maintaining 
and shelf life 
extension 
Jonathan 
Golden 
Delicious 
Gala 
Idared 
Frumos de 
Voinesti 
Falstaff 
Pinova 
Rebra 
Prima 
Florina 
Pionier 
Romus 4 
Rebra 
Ariwa 
Ariane 
Malus 
floribunda 
821 
Malus kaido 
Malus 
robusta 
MAL 59/9 
Malus robusta 
MAL 59/9 
Malus zumi 
Malus kaido 
White Angel 
Delicios de 
Voinesti 
Idared 
Wagener 
Granny Smith 
Goldrush 
Enterprise 
 
Table 2. Genitors used in the pear breeding 
Resistance 
to Erwinia 
amylovora 
Tolerance 
to Psylla sp. 
Fruit 
quality 
Late 
ripening 
and self 
life 
High 
productivity 
Pyrus 
serotina 
Kieffer 
seedling 
H 20-5-70 
Pitesti 
Euras 
Honeysweet 
Imperiale 
Severianka 
Tse Li 
Chang Pa 
Li 
Beurre 
Bosc 
Beurre 
Hardy 
Williams 
Abate 
Fetel 
Monica 
Argessis 
Passe 
Crassane 
Comptesse 
de Paris 
Cure 
Doyenne 
d’hiver 
Euras 
Napoca 
Haydeea 
Abate Fetel 
Packham’s 
Triumph 
 
Table 3. Genitors used in the plum breeding 
Tolerance 
to PPV 
High 
yield 
Good 
quality 
Diferent 
ripening time 
Self 
fertility 
Grase de 
Becz 
Boambe de 
Leordeni 
Ontario 
Wilhelmina 
Spath 
Stanley 
Anna 
Spath 
Grase 
de 
Becz 
Tuleu gras 
Centenar 
Ontario 
Vision 
Earlyness 
Early Rivers 
Ruth Gerstetter 
Diana 
Ialomita 
Lateness 
Anna Spath 
Vinete romanesti 
Valor 
President 
Stanley 
Anna 
Spath 
Ialomita 
Cacanska 
Lepotica 
 
Table 4. Genitors used in the sweet cherry breeding 
Harvesting 
season 
extension 
Self 
fertility Fruit quality 
Tolerance to 
leaf spot and 
brown rot 
Improving 
fruit 
cracking 
resistance 
Low 
vigour 
High 
yield 
Big. Burlat 
Early 
Rivers 
Spectral 
Sublim 
Sam 
Skeena 
Kordia 
George 
Hudson 
Stella 
Newstar 
Sunburst 
Lapins 
Maria 
Summit 
Ring 
Hedelfinger 
Germersdorf 
Van 
Superb 
Ulster 
Viscount 
Gedelfinger 
Big. 
Napoleon 
Kristin 
Kordia 
Lapins 
Early 
Rivers 
Cerna 
Van 
compact 
Stella 
compact 
Lambert 
compat 
Daria 
Van 
Superb 
Kristin 
 
Table 5. Genitors used in the sour cherry breeding 
Self fertility Red colored 
fruit 
Tolerance to 
leaf spot and 
brown rot fruit 
Upright or 
spreading tree 
habit 
High 
yielding 
capacity 
Schattenmorelle 
Nana 
Oblacinska 
Vladimirskaia 
 
Heimans 
Rubin 
Rival 
Schatten 
morelle 
Sumadinka 
Spanka 
Griot 
Moscovski 
Anglaise Hative 
Mari timpuri 
Northstar 
Heimanns 
Konserven 
Erdi Nogy 
Tarina 
Anglaise Hative
Eugenia 
Montmorency 
Schatten 
morelle 
Spaniole 
Oblacinska 
Nana 
Sumadinka 
Ilva 
Ludwigs 
fruhe 
 
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 
 
During the last eight years, five new apple 
varieties, four pear, three plum, four sweet 
cherry and two sour cherry have been 
registered, as shown below. 
Apple [1, 2] 
NlCOL, columnar scab field resistant variety 
with mid sized (138 g) red coloured fruit; good 
testing quality (flesh is moderately firm, juicy, 
fine texture of yellowish colour); harvesting 
season is in the first decade of September (can 
be stored until January); low tree vigor; was 
released in 2005, from a Mc. Intosh Wijcik x 
Pionier cross combination.   
COLMAR, columnar scab field resistant 
variety with mid sized (135 g) red skin fruit; 
good testing quality; storage until January; low 
tree vigor; was released in 2006, from a Mc. 
Intosh Wijcik x  Florina cross combination.  
COLONADE, columnar scab field resistant 
variety with large (150 g) red skin coloured 
fruit; good testing quality; low tree vigor; 
harvesting season in the second decade of 
September (storage till January); was released 
in 2007, from a Florina x Mc. Intosh Wijcik 
cross combination.  
RUSTIC, field tolerant to scab and powdery 
mildew variety with attractive, mid sized (130-
160 g) fruit; spherical, slight flat shape; green 
coloured skin covered by red on the sunny side; 
white flesh, juicy, crispy and good eating 
qualities; harvesting time in the late September 
(can be stored till March); was released in 
2008, from a Florina x Pionier cross 
combination.  
REBRA, scab tolerant variety with mid sized 
(145-160 g) fruit; green coloured skin covered 
by red on the sunny side;  good taste; 
harvesting season in the first decade of 
September (can be stored till February); was 
94
 
released in 2003, from a Prima x Florina cross 
combination. 
Pear [1, 2, 5] 
PARAMIS, winter maturing variety with tree of 
a mid vigour and good grafting affinity with 
Quince A rootstock; comes into bearing in the 
3rd year after planting; medium to large sized 
(180-200 g) fruit, globulous-conic shaped, 
yellowish-green skin coloured; white buttery 
flesh; good taste; harvesting season in the end 
of September (can be stored till January); was 
released in 2008, from a Monica x Passe 
Crassane cross combination. 
PARADOX, variety of a medium tolerance to 
fire blight and Psylla sp. with medium sized 
(160 g) fruit; yellowish skin; white, crisp, juicy 
flesh; good flavor; harvesting season in the end 
of September (can be stored till February); was 
released in 2009, from a Monica x Pastravioare 
cross combination. 
PARADISE, tolerant to fire blight and Psylla 
sp. variety with attractive, mid sized (130-150 
g) red skin coloured fruit and white, juicy flesh; 
harvesting season in the end of September (can 
be stored till January); wasreleased in 2010, 
from H 26-67-76 P x Pastravioare cross 
combination. 
ISADORA, winter maturing variety, tolerant to 
Psylla sp., mid sized (120 g), yellowish-green 
skin coloured, white, crisp flesh; harvesting 
season in the first decade of October (can be 
stored till April); was released in 2012, from 
Haydeea x Tse Li cross combination. 
Plum [1, 2 ,4] 
ROMAN, tolerant to PPV variety with ripening 
season in the first decade of August; large fruit 
(65 g) for fresh market use; ovoid shape; 
reddish-blue skin colour; yellow flesh; sweet – 
acid taste; semi clingstone; mid vigor tree; rare 
pyramidal canopy; was released in 2004, from a 
Tuleu Gras x Early Rivers cross combination. 
AGENT, tolerant to PPV variety with ripening 
season in the end of August; mid sized fruit (35 
g) for fresh market and for desiccation uses; 
spherical-oval shape; reddish-freckled skin 
colour; yellowish, sweet slightly astringent 
taste flesh; small free stone; mid vigor tree; was 
released in 2004, from an individual positive 
selection in a seedlings population obtained by 
open pollination.  
ROMANTA, tolerant to PPV variety with 
ripening season in the early August; large fruit 
(62 g) for fresh market use; ovoid shaped; dark 
blue skin colour; yellowish flesh; sweet-acid 
taste; free stone; mid vigor tree; was released in 
2012, from a Stanley x Valcean cross 
combination. 
Sweet Cherry [1, 2, 3] 
SUPERB, tolerant to leaf spot variety, for fresh 
market uses, with ripening season (in the 
middle of June); medium-large fruit size; 
cordate, smooth, symmetrical shape; shallow 
suture; firm, crisp in texture at optimum 
maturity; attractive purplish-red skin color and 
red flesh; good flavor and testing quality; semi 
freestone; medium stem length; vigorous, 
spreading tree’s growth habit; very productive; 
was released in 2004, from a Boambe de 
Cotnari x Thurn und Taxis cross combination.  
SUBLIM, tolerant to leaf spot, with early 
ripening season (in the end of May); medium 
fruit size; globosely to slightly oblate, smooth, 
symmetrical shape; firmness, crisp in texture, 
similar to Bigarreau Moreau; attractive purple 
skin color; red meaty flesh; subacid good eating 
quality; semi freestone; susceptible to rain 
cracking; vigorous, more upright than 
spreading tree’s growth habit; productive; was 
released in 2006, from a Muncheberger fruhe x 
Bigarreau Moreau cross combination.  
SPECTRAL, tolerant to leaf spot variety with 
very early ripening season (in the mid of May); 
medium fruit size; globosely to slightly oblate, 
smooth, symmetrical shape; firmness, crisp in 
texture, similar to Bigarreau Burlat; attractive 
purple color; red flesh; subacid good eating 
quality; semi freestone; short stem; susceptible 
to rain cracking; vigorous, spreading tree’s 
growth habit; was released in 2008, from a 
Muncheberger fruhe x Bigarreau Burlat cross 
combination. 
SPECIAL, valuable biotype of intensely 
specific bitter taste (still prevalent in the full 
maturity) cherry from the spontaneous flora, of 
mid season ripening time (second decade of 
June), moderate yielding, with  large fruits (22 
mm / 6g); kidney shape;); small, round, non-
adherent to the fruit pulp kernel (0.45g); black-
red skin, pulp and juice; firm and juicy pulp; 
high value of soluble solids (18 0Brix); 0.6% 
total acidity; 11.85% total glucides; 12.7 mg% 
95
 
ascorbic acid; was registered as a crop variety 
in 2012, to be cultivated by the amateur fruit-
growers for domestic use or even for the 
commercial purpose of processing in the food 
industry as homeland product (jam and cherry 
alchoolic drink) with particularly aroma, sweet 
and bitter taste.  
Sour Cherry [1, 2] 
RIVAL, self fruitful variety with ripening 
season at the end of the second decade of June; 
medium fruit size; roundish-oblate shape; dark 
red skin color; red flesh; red juice; acid taste; 
good canning, jam and juice processing 
qualities; semi-clingstone; medium pit size; 
medium-long stem; medium vigorous, upright 
to spreading but not weeping tree growth habit; 
very good fruiting system with good 
differentiation of leaf buds; very high yielding; 
moderate leaf spot susceptibility and slight high 
to brown rot fungus; was released in 2004, from 
a Griot Moscovski x Nana cross combination.  
STELAR, partial self fruitful variety with early 
ripening season (in the first decade of June); 
large fruit size; roundish-oblate shape; dark red 
skin color; pink-red flesh; pink-red juice; sub-
acid taste; good processing quality for canning 
and jam; semi-clingstone; medium pit size; 
long stem; vigorous, upright tree’s growth 
habit; good bearing system; good 
differentiation of leaf buds; high yielding; 
moderate leaf spot susceptibility and slight light 
to brown rot fungus; was released in 2008, from 
a Mocanesti 16 x Anglaise Hative cross 
combination.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONCLUSIONS 
 
During the last eight years, five new apple 
varieties, four pear, three plum, four sweet 
cherry and two sour cherry have been 
registered, as presented below. 
 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
 
This research work was carried out with the 
support of Academy of Agriculture and 
Forestry Sciences Bucharest (ASAS – UMPP) 
and also was financed from Project ADER 
119/2011.  
 
REFERENCES 
 
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germoplasma la speciile pomicole, de arbusti fructiferi si 
capsun din colectiile din Romania. Ed. Pamantul, Pitesti, 
Romania. 
[2] Braniste N., Budan S., Butac Madalina, Militaru 
Madalina, 2007. Soiuri de pomi, arbusti fructiferi si 
capsuni create in Romania. Ed. Paralela 45, Pitesti, 
Romania. 
[3] Budan S., Gradinariu G., 2000. Ciresul. Ed. Ion 
Ionescu de la Brad, Iasi, Romania. 
[4] Butac M., 2010. Ameliorarea prunului. Ed. 
Universit tii din Pitesti, Romania. 
[5] Militaru M., Braniste N., Sestras A., Andries N., 
2010. Ameliorarea soiurilor de pere – realiz ri si 
perspective. Ed. Universit tii din Pitesti, Romania. 
[6] Paltineanu Cr., 2008. Pomicultura durabila: de la 
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Genetica pomicola. Ed. Estfalia, Bucuresti, Romania. 
 
 
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NEW BREEDING RELEASES FROM THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR FRUIT GROWING, PITE TI

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NEW BREEDING RELEASES FROM THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR FRUIT GROWING, PITE TI

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