A new scab-resistant apple: 'Ariane'

Abstract

'Ariane' is a new apple cultivar carrying the Vf gene of resistance to Venturia inaequalis. It was derived from a cross made in 1979 at INRA in Angers, France between two advanced selections. The seed parent was a hybrid between the Vf cultivars 'Florina' and 'Prima' and the pollen parent was derived from an open pollination of 'Golden Delicious'. 'Ariane' matures during the same period as 'Golden Delicious'. 'Ariane' fruit has blushed bright red skin, with 75% of the fruit surface colored. It is medium sized. The flesh is firm and crisp; it has excellent flavor and eating quality with a high level of sugar and acid. Storage ability is long. Trees have to be thinned intensively, chemically and manually, to get good size fruit. 'Ariane' shows low susceptibility to powdery mildew and fire blight. 'Ariane' has been selected by the SARL (Ltd) NOVADI and the S.A.S. POMALIA to be developed as the first cultivar of a "Les Naturianes" series. Since 2002, about 95,000 trees of 'Ariane' have been planted in France.