Good Fruit Grower

August 2014

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6 AUGUST 2014 Good Fruit Grower www.goodfruit.com Piqa Boo licensed in Australia P revar Limited has assigned a license to produce and sell the new Piqa Boo pear in Australasia to Freshmax Pty. Ltd., a large fruit marketing and distribution company based in Australia. Piqa Boo is the brand name for the cultivar PremP009, which was bred by Plant and Food Research in New Zealand. It was bred conventionally, combining traits from both European and Asian pears. Piqa Boo is the first in what is expected to be a series of Piqa brand interspecific pears. Prevar is licensing the rights to grow, market, and sell these new fruits around the world. Piqa Boo has a short pyriform shape and solid bright red skin with small brown lenticels. It has a crisp texture and can be eaten without ripening. It stores well and develops a Bartlett pear flavor in cold storage. Prevar was established to oversee the global commer- cialization of apple and pear cultivars bred by Plant and Food Research. Brett Ennis, chief executive of Prevar, said Piqa Boo captures the best elements of western and eastern pears. Andrew Maughan, license manager for Freshmax, said a group of pear growers is ready to plant the vari- ety in Australia. Other growers interested in planting it should contact him at amaughan@holmanfresh.com.au. For more information, check the website at www. piqafruit.co.nz. PICO changes name, leadership T he former Okanagan Plant Improvement Company (PICO)—the entity that manages and commercializes new tree fruit varieties in British Columbia, Canada—has a new name and is looking for a new chief executive. On June 25, Keith Carlson stepped down after less than a year as CEO. Carlson, an apple and cherry grower, had been chair of the board for six years before being appointed CEO. He succeeded John Kingsmill in July 2013 with a vow to lead the company in a new direction. Nick Ibuki, operations manager, has been appointed interim CEO until a successor to Carlson is appointed. He said Carlson left to focus on other endeavors, and it could take two or three months to recruit someone to the position. Ken Haddrell, who retired as operations man- ager last year, has rejoined the company in an advisory capacity. PICO changed its name in March to Summerland Varieties Corporation to reflect its close association with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's apple and cherry breeding program at the Summerland research center. The company also represents private plant breeders and operates Canada's only virus-free budwood orchard at Summerland. It supplies budwood to nurseries and orchardists worldwide. Ibuki said other reasons for changing the company name were that PICO was not a true acronym of its full name, and the word had an unfor- tunate meaning in Chile, where the Santina cherry from Summerland is having huge success. Read more Quick Bites at www.goodfruit. com. Q uick Bites The new Piqa Boo pear combines traits of European and Asian pears. PREVAR LIMITED 08363 Good Fruit Ad.indd 1 5/2/08 9:30:06 AM Botector ® Blossom Protect ™ Westbridge products are designed to promote plant vigor, optimize fruit production, and prevent disease. Maximize Fruit Quality & Yield • Soil & plant amendments • Spray aduvants • Insect & bird repellant • Liquid NPK fertilizers • Calcium & micronutrients • Botrytis & fire blight biocontrols Contact Westbridge today to learn more: (800) 876-2767 • www.westbridge.com ®

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