

New Book Catalogs Peach, Nectarine Varieties
By Tara Weaver December 18, 1998Peach growers and breeders have a new at-your-fingertips
resource: a handbook that describes in detail some 700 peach and nectarine
varieties--from 'AC Harflame' to 'Zorrito.' Horticulturist W. R. Okie with the Agricultural Research Service authored the
808-page book, Handbook of Peach and Nectarine Varieties (Agricultural
Research Service Handbook #714). ARS is the chief research agency of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Okie is based at ARS
Southeastern
Fruit and Tree Nut Research Laboratory in Byron, Ga. He compiled the book
for commercial and hobby growers, domestic and foreign breeders, and other
peach researchers and extension workers. It updates and greatly expands the
25-year-old peach variety bulletin published by Savage and Prince. It's the
most comprehensive book of its kind since Peaches of New York, published
in 1917. The handbook gives detailed leaf, flower and fruit information. Performance
comments focus on varieties grown in the Southeast. But the book also describes
the most prominent commercial varieties in other U.S. regions. It details all
varieties released by U.S. public breeding programs, including those developed
by ARS. An annotated index has brief descriptions of more than 6,000 varieties,
including many obsolete and foreign peaches. ARS has bred peaches adapted to the Southeast--as well as to California and
the northeast--for more than 60 years. During that time, the scientists have
released 64 peaches, 15 nectarines and three peach rootstocks. Many are grown
commercially. Scientists and commercial growers can request single copies of the handbook
from Okie while supplies last. The publication is also available from the
National Technical Information Service, publication number
PB98-149602,
phone (703) 605-6000, http://www.ntis.gov.
Scientific contact: W. R. Okie, ARS Southeastern Fruit and Tree Nut
Research Laboratory, 21 Dunbar Rd., Byron, GA 31008, phone (912) 956-6405, fax
(912) 956-2929, [email protected] U.S. Department of Agriculture | |