'Mirlo Blanco', 'Mirlo Anaranjado', and 'Mirlo Rojo': Three New Very Early-season Apricots for the Fresh Market

‘Mirlo Blanco’, ‘Mirlo Anaranjado’, and ‘Mirlo Rojo’ are very early-season ripening apricot cultivars (Prunus armeniaca L.) with high productivity, excellent fruit quality, and an attractive red-blushed fruit for fresh markets. These cultivars are also characterized by their adaptation to climatic conditions in the southeast of Spain and their resistance to sharka [Plum pox virus (PPV)], a serious limiting factor for apricot fruit production in affected areas (Kolber, 2001). ‘Mirlo Blanco’, ‘Mirlo Anaranjado’, and ‘Mirlo Rojo’ are self-compatible. Their fruits have excellent organoleptic characteristics; they are freestone with a light orange skin ground color, extensive red blush, and light orange flesh color that make them very attractive.