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Breeding programs

• on varieties :

In the frame of INRAE-BAP division, the VaDiPom team is in charge of prebreding and improvement of methods of selection on pipfruits (as well as rootstocks). These programe lie on the collaboration between industry (CEP Innovation and Novadi) and INRAE. Beside,  a small breeding program is also performed  on cider apple with the French Institute of Cider Productions (IFPC). The program has three main goals: pests and diseases resistance, fruit quality, high and regular fruit production. On the pests and diseases matter, breeding program aims to create new varieties in the long term with good behavior at least for:

• on apple: Scab (Venturia Inaequalis), fire blight (Erwinia amylovora), powdery mildew (Podosphera leucotricha), rosy apple aphid  (Disaphis plantaginea)
• on pear: Scab (Venturia pyrina), fire blight (Erwinia amylovora), psylla (cacopsylla pyri) 

On the organoleptic quality side, new varieties have to meet various expectations : those of the  consumers and the whole fruit chain from the growers to the supermarkets and the industry. For instance, we are looking for attractive dessert apple with excellent taste (texture, juiciness, sugar content,  flavour, …) and long storage ability. On cider apple the quality criteria are different with main emphasis on  bitterness, sugar and acidity contents.

• on rootstocks varieties :

The two programs on pear rootstocks are being finalized: the first one targets Northern Europe and has as its main objective the ability to propagate and grafting compatibility. Another program targets Southern Europe and looks for tolerance to abiotic stresses (drought, salinity) in addition to the two previous criteria. For these two programs, the criterion of resistance to fire blight is preponderant. The selected elite material is currently being taken over for testing by our partners at CEP Innovation.

Constraints and main orientations

Breeding programs on fruits are facing two main limitations: the duration (from 15 to 20 years for a variety to be on the market) and the cost of the selection process. Thanks to the FruitBreedomics European project, we improved our breeding method efficiency and increased our genitor genetic basis. In collaboration with ResPom team (IRHS), we are building and developing  molecular markers easy to integrate in the selection process especially on apple and at a lesser extent on pear. We are also creating new genitors carrying durable resistance and, more recently, better adapted to some impacts of climatic changes. Both tasks (methodology and prebreeding) are partially funded by the INRAE-BAP division thanks to the IVD grant. 

In the new European project called INVITE (2019-2025, 29 partners, over 150 participants) coordinated by VaDiPom, the team works on an experimental and unique experimental design (“Apple Refpop”) created after FruitBreedomics where  536 genotypes (old varieties and European breeding programs hybrids) have been planted in six European countries including the Experimental Horticultor Unit of Angers. On apple, the aim of INVITE is  to figure out interactions between genotype, environment, and orchard management in order  to optimize variety testing and reduce both duration and costs. 

New varieties

INRA Angers has a long tradition in  pipfruit breeding; few well-known apple varieties like Belchard® Chantecler (obtention INRAE), Les Naturianes® Ariane (obtentions INRAE developed by SAS Pomalia), Antarès® Dalinbel, Choupette® Dalinette (co-obtentions INRAE and Davodeau-Ligonnière, first one being produced by Les vergers de la Blottière, second one by Les Vergers des Vaux du Loir and Les Vergers Launay), but also cider apple and juice apple like Judeline, Judaine, and pear like Angys® (former Angelys®) and Migo® Cepuna, or the pear rootstock Pyriam

Hereafter, are some of the latest varieties created by VaDiPom, including some very encouraging ones:

1 - Apple :

• Story® Inored : more than 3 millions trees planted ;
• Mandy® Inolov ;
• Garance® Lespin, reserved for organic market ;
• Inobi ;
• Inogo ;

2 - Cider apple :

• Douce de l'Avent (named in 2010) ;
• Fréquinette (named in 2010) ;
• Kéramère (named in 2011) ;
• Tréladine (named in 2011) ;
• Saireline (named in 2013) ;
• Rouge de Ruiz (named in 2018) ;

3 - Pear :

• Angelys deposited in 1999

4 - Pear rootstock :

• BA 29, cognassier nommé en 1967, très largement utilisé en France et dans le monde ;
• Sydo, cognassier inscrit en 1976, co-obtention INRAE - Pépinière Lepage ;
• Pyriam, poirier protégé en 1998, une obtention INRAE.