Almond breeding in Australia

Abstract

Adelaide University runs the Australian Almond Breeding Program in conjunction with the Australian Almond Growers Association (AAGA). Crossing matrices were generated based on the almond ideotype developed. Self-fertility and improved nut quality rank highly in the breeding aims. Controlled pollinations began in 1997 using 11 almond cultivars including ‘Nonpareil’, ‘Carmel’, ‘Ferragnès’, ‘LeGrand’, self-compatible genotypes, and well-adapted Australian cultivars such as ‘Chellaston’, ‘Keane's seedling’, ‘McKinlay's Magnificent’ and ‘Johnston's Prolific’. Hybridisations are conducted at multiple sites including the Waite Campus (Adelaide), Willunga (Southern Vales) and Loxton (Riverland). Since then the program has produced nearly 8000 seedlings for evaluation, crossing up to 27 different cultivars in one season. The seedling progeny have been planted in the Riverland region at Lindsay Point, Victoria. Evaluation has begun on the 1997 and 1998 progeny, with bud burst and flowering time scored (date and intensity), as well as nut and tree characteristics such as shelling percentage, kernel taste and tree vigour and branching habit.