Two new apricot varieties

Nella and Dora are apricot seedlings recently selected by R. Chiappetta in Sicily. Their vegetative, floreal, agronomic and fruit-quality characteristics were checked for three years (2003 - 2005) in Partinico (Palermo coast area), under mild winter and spring temperatures, in comparison with Tyrinthos variety. Nella and Dora have an upright tree habit and are self-compatible. Blooming started a week earlier in Nella and Tyrinthos (end of February) and concluded in the second part of March in all varieties. Fruit set was satisfactory in all cultivars. Crop was harvested from May 25th to 30th in Dora, May 24th to 30th in Nella and May 24th to 28th in Tyrinthos. Fruit weight, as a three years average, was 45.58 g in Dora, 42.44 g in Nella and 63.76 g in Tyrinthos. Nella fruits had a 40 - 50% reddish area, while peel colour was intense yellow in Dora and light-orange in Tyrinthos. At the commercial picking, sugars were: 11,3° Brix in Nella, 11,0° Brix in Dora, 9.70° Brix in Tyrinthos. Nella and Dora have been patented by G. Battistini nursery.