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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #385462

Research Project: Breeding Prunus and Vitis Scions for Improved Fruit Quality and Durable Pest Resistance

Location: Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research

Title: 'Yorizane': A new self-compatible almond cultivar suitable for California production

Author
item Ledbetter, Craig

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/8/2021
Publication Date: 8/18/2021
Citation: Ledbetter, C.A. 2021. 'Yorizane': A new self-compatible almond cultivar suitable for California production. HortScience. 56(9):1142-1143. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16066-21.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16066-21

Interpretive Summary: Eighty percent of the world’s almonds are grown in California with the majority of the 1.5 million acres being planted to self-infertile cultivars. The California almond industry desires new self-fertile cultivars to assist honeybees with nut set. The new self-fertile Yorizane cultivar was developed and introduced in response to industry desires. The new cultivar has yielded well in trials throughout the San Joaquin Valley and has been rated highly in marketing potential and kernel appearance. The Yorizane release has been noted in the almond industry with dormant budwood being provided to six requesting tree nut nurseries for the development of mother trees.

Technical Abstract: Yorizane is a new almond (Prunus dulcis L.) cultivar developed by the Agricultural Research Service Prunus breeding program in Parlier, CA and released for propagation in 2020. The new cultivar is self-compatible and requires no other pollen sources to facilitate pollination and fruit set. Yorizane exhibits a bloom interval very similar to that of California’s most widely planted almond cultivar Nonpareil. Hull split and harvest timing of Nonpareil and Yorizane are also similar, typically beginning during mid-July in the San Joaquin Valley. In the current generation of Regional Variety Trials, Yorizane has yielded well across locations, and kernels are relatively free of defects. The new cultivar cracks easily and with minimal damage to kernels. Kernels of this new cultivar differ significantly in shape and appearance from kernels of Nonpareil.