Color Correlations in Peaches

Experiment Station Record, 29(5): 424 (October 1913)

A striking correlation in the peach, U. P. Hedrick (Science, n. ser., 37 (1913), No. 963, pp. 917, 918).—During the spring of the current year attention was called to the fact that in a considerable number of varieties of peaches there was found a difference in the color of the inside of the calyx cups. In some the color was light green, varying somewhat in different varieties, while in others the inner part of the cup was a deep orange in color.

In considering this difference in color of the flower and the characters of the fruit, a correlation was shown. Of the peaches 145 varieties were white in flesh and green inside the calyx cup, and 162 yellow in flesh and orange inside the calyx cup. In the nectarines white and green were correlated in 36 varieties, and yellow and orange in 11 varieties.

This correlation is believed to be of practical value in peach breeding, since it will enable the breeder to determine the color of flesh of peaches somewhat earlier than otherwise, and it will also add a constant taxonomic character, which may be of value to peach growers.

Experiment Station Record, 43:540-541 (1921)

Some notes on the inheritance of unit characters in the peach, C. H. Connors (Proc. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci., 16 (1919), pp. 24-86).—A contribution from the New Jersey Experiment Stations, discussing character inheritance in the first crop of fruit from the F1 seedlings of crosses among commercial varieties of peaches. The data are presented at this stage primarily for the benefit of other workers along the same line rather than to formulate definite conclusions. The general results are summarized as follows:

"Elberta carries white flesh as a recessive character to the extent of about one-third. It seems prepotent with respect to ripening period. Its character for quality is only mediocre. Belle is strongly white, but seems to carry a 25 per cent character for yellow. It is prepotent with respect to vigor and quality and carries a factor for clinginess of about 25 per cent. Early Crawford is almost pure yellow. Its character for quality seems dominant, as does its character for freestone. Greensboro seems to be pure white, is clingstone, but carries a small factor for freestone. White on yellow gives increased vigor. White seems to be dominant over pure yellow in the F1 generation."

In addition to the correlation of green calyx cup with white fleshed fruit and of orange calyx cup with yellow fleshed fruit, as noted by Hedrick (E.S.R., 29, p. 424), the author observed an intermediate type in which the calyx cup is yellowish buff and the fruit white fleshed, but the variety carries a character for yellow flesh, as was the case with Belle. A correlation was also observed between the dark green leaves and white fleshed fruit and between normally yellowish leaves and yellow fleshed fruit. In this connection, however, the leaf veins should also be examined. When the midrib and veins of the leaves have a yellowish cast the fruit is yellow, and when the midribs and veins are a pale green or whitish the fruit will be white.