The South Lakeland Orchard Group - DNA Testing

Progress in Apple & Pear Cultivar Identification and Validation by DNA Analysis

by Andy Gilchrist, Chairman, South Lakeland Orchard Group

Gardeners who purchase an apple tree from a garden centre or nursery assume its labelled identity to be accurate. We all prefer certainty to uncertainty and expect things like cultivar identity to be black and white. Historically, it was difficult and time-consuming to prove otherwise. Consequently most mistaken identities went unnoticed and if the tree was subsequently used for propagation, the mistake endured, for decades or even centuries. Such mislabelling may occur during propagation either by carelessness or negligence. Labels over time become brittle and break off. In years gone by, an identity may have been forgotten, so a new name was given, leading to one or more synonyms for the same cultivar.

Fortunately in August 2010 the complete genome of Malus domestica was published, showing a structure of 17 pairs of chromosomes bearing 57,386 genes. East Malling Research then undertook a DNA analysis study ..... to read Andy's full LHS DNA article click here

Local Apples & Pears unique by DNA analysis named by the South Lakeland Orchard Group

DNA Analysis: fruitID have confirmed that the analysis program will run again this year (apples, pears & cherries), with the analyses to be done at Cambridge instead of East Malling. The price is £39 per sample. Leaf samples have to be taken during May/June. Please advise me if you have trees which you want identifying by DNA. Let me know by end April how many trees you want to sample and I will collate all SLOG requests to fruitID and then send you numbered bags in early May. Last years results can be viewed at fruitID | Apple Identification | Apple Varieties | Apple Cultivars. Halfway down the page you can click on “Apples 2022” or “Pears 2022”. To view the Register of Local Cultivars, click on the link near the top on the left.

ORIGINS:

Many of the pears were found by Phil Rainford at Crook Foot orchard settled in the Gilpin Valley, at the Western end of Crook village in Cumbria. They were propagated under the CR prefix. Other pears & apples were found elsewhere in Cumbria & North Lancashire. The “P” and “A” code numbers are the identities under which they were submitted for DNA analysis.

Identified Apples & Pears unique by DNA are as follows:

Aspden:

CR24/CR25: Size medium/small.

Season early Sept.

Juicy, sweet, slightly gritty

Ulverston Pink:

A3852 " Ulverston Pink/Crimson" from old farm orchard west of Ulverston- apples brought to a Sizergh NT Apple Day. Striking pink/red coloured apple; medium/large. Shape round, shoulders at base. Cavity narrow, deep with very slender short stalk. Basin shallow, eye half open to fully open. Mid to late season culinary fruit

Gilpin Grey:

CR8 (lower): Size small to medium. Very long, curved stalk. Striking greyish/brown appearance. Season mid Sept. Flavour bland(at this stage).

Rainford's Orange:

CR12/CR37. Size medium (to114grams).Season mid August. Hint of marzipan. Best peeled as can have astringent skin.

Wilson’s Wonder:

CR26/4,35,36,44. Size medium-large (to 210gr) Season late, eating from early November. Buttery, fairly sweet.

Gilchrist’s Gold:

CR 29. Also CR 28,30,31,34.Size medium (to 102gr). Season early from late August. Sweet, juicy in 2018 but can be drier.

Fereday’s Fawn:

FAWN: location unknown. Small golden/fawn. Dessert- delicious-sweet and juicy, ready end of August.

Wt. to 113gr.

Red Scar:

RED SCAR: former farm orchard, Preston. Medium -sized, green flushed dark crimson. Dessert. September. 100gr.

Bield Fig:

CRB: one of three pears found within a bield above the valley containing the other pear trees. Season early to mid-September. Medium size to 100grams (in 2014).Light green with orange-red flush

Purple Potter:

“Potter" pear from Witherslack area - horizontal tree in field opposite house of potter -grafted c2011. Deep purple colour becoming less intense; long slender curved stalk. September. Wt to 115gr. (T)

Walton Weeper:

Walton Weeper (CR3) - name should remain as written and anecdotal evidence of its presence south of Preston. Early August pear once sent to Wigan market

Tongue’s Seedling:

Tongue's Seedling- again name should be retained as written and verbal information. Introduced by Richard Tongue who lived at Forton; he died in 1853

Gould Knapp:

P012:CR20/21/27: Gould Knapp (Threave Pears)

Green Slipper:

P087/GREEN SLIPPER.

Crookfoot Early:

CR11 (P572/2018) - small, ripening from mid July- probably the earliest of the Crookfoot pears. Leaves delicate,"feathery"(Hilary's description!). No special flavour.

Stone Pear:

CR14 (P724/2018) medium-large. Weight to 142gram.Late September ripening, Soft, fairly sweet flesh.

Database match to Stone Pear (English name), Black Achan (Scottish name) & Port Allen 2/3 (NFC accession). Definitive name to be determined by RLC panel.

Bield Beauty:

CR A (P571/2018) - another bield pear. Medium-small, fruit in clusters. Mid September."Flesh creamy, juicy."

Gilpin Globe:

CR5a (P723/2018) (early)- two varieties on Cr 5. This one fruited for the first time last year. No notes as yet!

Crookfoot Crimson:

CR5b: (P726) Second variety on same tree. Size small. Not yet tasted.

Crookfoot Chieftain:

CR2 :P570

Lyth Lantern:

CR33: P813/2019

Patrick’s Freehold:

Patrick (P563/2018) Bright green pear from Freehold area of Lancaster. Grafted c 2008. Named after owner.

Timperley Mango:

CH3 – Timperley (P363/P568)

Hazelslack Striped:

Adele’s striped apple = Hazelslack striped (Storth): soft fleshed round apple; light yellow with varying red stripes. Very photogenic. Mid season culinary.

Low Farm Pippin:

(Crosthwaite Fragrance)

Dob 3: Farm orchard below Crosthwaite Church. Late September- perfumed; very fleshy stalk, striped apple

Linda Blenkinship:

A2071/2018 This variety was renamed as a tribute to the late Linda Blenkinship, apple expert and NFG member. The variety, which resembles Tower of Glamis, was found at a Chorley vicarage and Linda spent her childhood in the hamlet of Copp , near Gt. Eccleston ( between Poulton and Garstang), Lancashire

Silverdale Shore:

A2064/2018: Shore Road, Silverdale in Edwardian orchard of knowns including B.of Bath, Gravenstein, Worcester Pearmain . Grafted 2007

Appleby Fayre:

A2058/2018: Cellini type, Appleby

Howridding

Harlequin :

A048/2016: Howridding A

Drumlin Doughnut:

A2057/2018: Sylvia, Preesall

Dobson’s Green:

A053/Crosthwaite farm

Dobson’s Pink:

A539/Crosthwaite farm

Sale Park:

P968: collected from Sale Water Park on the banks of the Mersey, Manchester. Remnant tree in former long abandoned farm orchard. Fine red mottling; shaped somewhat like Marguerite Marillat. weight to 127g. Ripe from last week in July. "Juicy, sweet, buttery."

Nantwich Yellow:

P979 - I budded this from a young tree of this name in Tony Gentil's memorial orchard in Nantwich. It is definitely not Aston Town!! Attractive creamy yellow skin with red flush and striping. Weight to 161g. Rather dry and bland tasting in mid September

Mammoth Mango:

P971 "not Beurre Clairgeau" Large pear with red flush; very thick stalk 2.5-3cm. Crunchy flesh ie not buttery. Ripening mid Sept. Origin uncertain, possibly Robinson's Mammoth Onion nursery

Middle Birkby:

P982 a fine old Perry Pear tree standing by the farm house of Middle Birkby Farm near Cartmel.
Ready mid-Sept

Pears (17) already planted in the Brian Fereday Westmorland Pear Collection at Sizergh Castle

List of varieties planted DNA result

CR1, CR12, CR24/25, CR26, CR29 Unique

Fawn, Potter, CR11, CRA Unique

CR15 2019

Green Slipper Unique (NFG)

Holeslack not done

CR20 Gould Knap

Hammered Unique

Stone Pear

Beurre Capiaumont (failed)

Green Chisel

Apples submitted for Panel Review – Outcomes:

Name Sample Panel Notes

Cockermouth Codlin A3045 Accepted

Dan’s Pippin A3894 Accepted

Daphne’s Delight A3002 Accepted

Oakbank Pippin A3889 Accepted
Ritson’s Red A3044 Need history & query fruit colour
Red Balsam A3891 Need greater justification of authenticity

Bradley's Beauty A037 Accepted (already in observation plot)

Mower’s Quench A038 Accepted

Nancy Crow A018 Accepted

Trumpeter A1719 This variety seems likely to be part of a landrace population and other

samples being DNA'd may shed further light on this. Roll over and

review again

Alan’s Apple A1725 Accepted

Burgh Beauty A2046 Accepted (need flesh texture & taste description)

Eddie Potts A1923 Accepted

Philip Barron A2074 Accepted

Betty Robinson (Hirst’s WP) A1961/A410(MAN) Accepted (very perfumed)

Low Farm Pippin A1962 Accepted

Livsey’s Imperial A035 Request info as to why this is thought to be Livsey’s Imperial – no real

provenance in submission: unsubstantiated match and no clear

historic description

Harris Park CR41 Crook Foot pear - Nov 2022 meeting

Penwortham Holme P1169 Nov 2022 meeting

Sowerby Red P559 Nov 2022 meeting

Russell's Conscience A047 Crook Foot field name - Nov 2022 meeting

St. Michael's Sunburst A4772 Nov 2022 meeting

Other Apple names (no photos):

Acorn Late A044 Acorn Bank Late Dessert
Red Nuisance A2042 Red Nuisance/Crossrigg #14
Crossrigg Russet A022 Crossrigg Hall, a little russet
Ulverston Egg A2061 Phil’s Ulverston Egg shaped
Cockerham Clement A2967 Cockerham /Pilling “Clement”
Storth Pink A3850 -
Storth Striped A3851 -
Ulverston Yellow A3853 -
Newby Queening A3862 Newby Hall false Crimson Queening
Brantwood Tolstoy A3864 -
Old Plough Inn A3913 from the Plough Inn (Lyth Valley) top cooker