Author Topic: Early season atemoya varieties?  (Read 5022 times)

TheDom

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Early season atemoya varieties?
« on: September 10, 2016, 04:18:16 PM »
Are there any atemoya that tend to bear earlier than other varieties? I'd guess PPC with its higher sugar apple genetics might have potential to bear earlier, but I can't find any info on the bearing season of any atemoya.
Dom

Mike T

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2016, 06:13:15 AM »
They all hit the markets together here and the long sequence of availability is as much to do with the spread of farms through different climates.Below is the old advice regarding varieties for commercial production, African Pride is getting less popular now due to blackening and being of lower quality.Atemoyas are called custard apples and A.reticulata is called bullocks heart or bullocks heart custard apple.

What varieties of custard apple should I plant?


KJ Pinks, Hillary White, Pinks Mammoth and African Pride are suitable for all of the custard apple growing areas in the Atherton Tablelands, Central Queensland, the Bundaberg district, the Sunshine Coast and the Northern Rivers region of NSW. Maroochy Gold performs better in the more tropical climate of the Atherton Tableland than in sub tropical areas. Custard apple growing is difficult in coastal regions of northern Queensland where the hot, wet and humid climate can cause severe disease problems.

KJ Pinks is protected by Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) and can only be purchased from Australian Nurserymen's Fruit Improvement Company (ANFIC) licensed nurseries. The registered owner of this variety is Keith Paxton. A major breeding program currently underway at the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation's (DEEDI) Maroochy Research Station is expected to lead to the release of other new varieties in future. The varieties you plant will depend mainly on where your orchard is located.

African Pride has the advantage of producing a good crop without hand pollination; however, some North Queensland growers prefer to hand pollinate to ensure fruit for the higher priced early market. Unfortunately, African Pride is more prone to skin blackening and other fruit quality problems.

Hillary White and Pinks Mammoth have highly consistent fruit quality, but require hand pollination to set good crops of quality fruit. KJ Pinks, which originated as a budsport (a mutated shoot) from a Pinks Mammoth tree, has the major advantage of not needing hand pollination. Maroochy Gold benefits from hand pollination. KJ Pinks, Pinks Mammoth and Hillary White appear to be preferred in Asian export markets. We suggest prospective growers seek current advice from custard apple marketers before making a final decision.

Mike T

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2016, 06:15:40 AM »
Correction Hillary White is the only one that produces much earlier here.Gefner is not considered suitable for the market but is not early and tropic sun is early but too soft to be commercial.

TheDom

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2016, 01:39:29 PM »
Thanks Mike! I really wish we could get ahold of some of those improved atemoya varieties y'all have down there. I read that KJ Pinks variety sets 41% without hand pollination!
Dom

Guayaba

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2017, 07:19:52 PM »
I just thought I would bump this post out again and see if anyone else has some input.  Do other growers in areas like California, Florida, Hawaii, India...etc have most of the atemoya varieties ripening all around the same time like Mike does? In speaking with Ong's Nursery in San Diego, the PPC and Lisa varieties appear to be early to mid season and African Pride is more mid to late season. Maybe these are just local observations? I have been told that January is a plentiful time for Atemoya to available here in San Diego and that appears to be true for Cherimoya as well.
Bob

Mikey

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2017, 01:07:03 PM »
I live more toward the cost in san diego and my atemoya get a late start due to the mild climate.  For thelast two years, my atemoya are ready in feb and march

Bhkkatemoya

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2017, 03:35:52 PM »
Im in Chula Vista and Have been eating about 20 atemoya for a month now.  Hand pollinate around April. Both ap and geffner. 

JF

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2017, 04:05:26 PM »
Here in La Habra early atemoyas:

La Habra Sun
Birula
Calostro
Arka Saha
Anona Rosada ilama
Moyas have all been early a few Pierce, Campus, El Bumpo and others

Few of those he anonas left













« Last Edit: December 09, 2017, 04:11:57 PM by JF »

Guayaba

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2017, 09:26:24 AM »
I live more toward the cost in san diego and my atemoya get a late start due to the mild climate.  For thelast two years, my atemoya are ready in feb and march

Good to know this. I think local conditions can vary quite a bit from the coast to just a few miles inland, so the Atemoyas would have different ripening times in these areas. 
Bob

Guayaba

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2017, 09:40:43 AM »
Im in Chula Vista and Have been eating about 20 atemoya for a month now.  Hand pollinate around April. Both ap and geffner.

I attempted to get my AP to bloom as early as possible this year and I only succeeded in getting one late May bloom. Most of the rest of the flowers opened in June and July. My neighbors pepper tree blocks some of the sun in the spring, so it only gets part sun.  I am going to see if she allows me to prune the tree a bit this winter, so the AP will get more sun in spring. I also  had a problem with delayed fertilization....even though I pollinated starting in early June, those flowers and peduncles fell off, so no fruit formed.  It wasn't until late June that the peduncles held and fruit formed. It also didn't help that I was on vacation for two weeks in June.  :o
Bob

Guayaba

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2017, 09:53:26 AM »
Here in La Habra early atemoyas:

La Habra Sun
Birula
Calostro
Arka Saha
Anona Rosada ilama
Moyas have all been early a few Pierce, Campus, El Bumpo and others

Thanks for the input Frank. Your big collection of Atemoyas are really helpful for those of us who are only a couple of years into growing these.  I was able to get some of these scions from you to take and they are growing nicely. I'll have to order La Habra Sun later next year.  Any input on some late season Atemoya that are fairly consistent?
Bob

JF

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2017, 07:34:14 PM »
Calostro & Birula start ripening in October and the have an extended season until February and some years April














knlim000

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2017, 03:56:24 AM »
very nice collection.

Mike T

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2017, 07:59:08 AM »
Island gem is very early and the rosada ilama will fruit at a different time of the year more like sugar apples.

Guayaba

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #14 on: December 11, 2017, 08:15:17 AM »
Calostro & Birula start ripening in October and the have an extended season until February and some years April

Good to know Calostro and Birula are in fruit for extended periods and late in the season too.  I can't wait for the scions I got from you to produce fruit.  Really like that photo of Birula fruit....beautiful!
Bob

Guayaba

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Re: Early season atemoya varieties?
« Reply #15 on: December 11, 2017, 08:16:59 AM »
Island gem is very early and the rosada ilama will fruit at a different time of the year more like sugar apples.
Island Gem sounds like a good one to try....and as you said easy to grow.
Bob