Current Achievements of the Latvian Apple Breeding Programme

Abstract The commercial apple growing industry in Latvia has a lack of climate adapted modern cultivars. The Latvian apple breeding programme is targeted at cultivars adapted to the cool climate of Baltic countries and Scandinavia, with fruit quality and storage suitable for commercial production. Since 1989, scab resistance (Rvi6, Rvi5) donors are included in crosses. Several cultivars already show commercial promise — ‘Dace’, ‘Gita’, ’Monta’ (Rvi6) and the polygenic resistant ‘Laila’ and ‘Pure Ametist’. However, in 2020, the Rvi6 resistance was overcome in Latvia. Donors of polygenic scab tolerance may prove a better alternative. The most successful donors have been ‘Iedzēnu’, ‘Eksotika’, ‘Alesya’, and ‘Bohemia’. Marker assisted gene pyramiding was started, including markers linked to the resistance genes Rvi5 and Rvi6. Scab resistant cultivars ‘Edite’, ‘Felicita’, ‘Ligita’, and ‘Paulis’ show low susceptibility to Neonectria ditissima canker. To achieve high fruit quality and good storage, worldwide commercial cultivars are crossed with local adapted cultivars. Such crosses that have been registered include ‘Inta’, ‘Lora’, and ‘Saulesmeita’. Recent crosses for quality include ‘Honeycrisp’, where H-1-07-36 and H-1-07-42 show most promise. Improved biochemical content and flesh structure is one of the main targets. An additional line of breeding is aimed at ornamental and cider apples. The scab resistant Nr.19-97-154 (Cidross) was selected for cider. The red leaf columnar apple ‘Karlens’ and the compact red-leaf crab ‘Auce’ have been registered.