Agronomic, nutritional and texture evaluation of 'Annurca' apple clones

Eight clones, six derived by induced mutagenesis and two via local isolation, of the cv. Annurca apple, a variety commonly grown in southern Italy's Campania Region, were tested against the standard cultivar for their agronomic, nutritional and texture traits at harvest and after six months' storage over two cropping years. The two local clones generally evinced the lowest yield-parameter values, the most vigorous growth habit and the largest fruit size. Storage enhanced overall fruit sweetness in all clones by increasing total sugars and decreasing malic acid; fructose (about 50% of the total) was the main sugar in all the tested clones. Fracturability, as an indicator of texture, declined in all clones over storage, as confirmed by the 20% reduction of pectin; the clones FCM 69 and 0/44 mantained the highest level of flesh fracturability over storage.