09/22/05 Looking for new peach varieties

Essie Fallahi at the University of Idaho Parma Research Center is experimenting with 72 different varieties of peaches and plums. He's looking for varieties that can provide a larger market for southwestern Idaho growers. FALLAHI "If they want an early peach they can grow Mason they can grow Crimson and some of those varieties all the way to mid-October, that is Snow Mist. That's very, very late." A lot of his work involves blossom thinning and finding ways to make that task easier and cheaper for growers. He's also trying new peach varieties that would be especially popular in the export market. Fallahi has several white flesh peaches like Saturn that don't look like peaches, they're flat. FALLAHI "These are native to Iran. There is another variety of flat peach called Jupiter. Jupiter is about two weeks later than Saturn. This is good because it gives you a variety of flat peach at harvest time." He's also grown peaches in the coldest parts of his orchards looking for those best adapted to Idaho's climate. And one of his favorite peach varieties is All-star. Fallahi jokes that it's the peach you wish would fall on the head of the neighbor you don't like. Average weight for those peaches is well over one pound each. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott