'Picnic', a New Mid-season Apple Cultivar with Medium Size and Good Taste

Abstract: A new cultivar ‘Picnic’ originated from an artificial cross between ‘Fuji’ and ‘Sansa’ at National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science in 1994. The cultivar was preliminarily selected among the elite siblings for its high fruit quality in 2003. After regional adaptability tests in five districts for four subsequent years as ‘Wonkyo Ga-34’, it was ultimately selected in 2008. Optimum harvest time is late September. Mature fruit has mean weight of 233 g and is conic with light red skin on a greenish yellow ground and yellowish white flesh. The fruit contains a favorable total soluble solids content at 13.8 °Brix and titratab le acidity at 0.43%, which results in gustatory harmony between sugars and acids. It is not resistant to bitter rot or Marssonina blotch. ‘Picnic’ exhibits a physiological cross compatibility with leading cultivars such as ‘Fuji’, ‘Hongro’ and ‘Tsugaru’. Tr ee topology is semi-spreading with a weak growth habit.Additional key words: fruit tree breeding, Malus×domestica, regional adaptability, selection, seedling