Pear (pyrus communis) ALKA

Pear (Pyrus communis) 'Alka'

A Lithuanian autumn variety with tasty fruits and scab resistance.

'Alka' is a Lithuanian early autumn pear variety, valued for its fruits with a sweet, tasty, and aromatic flavour and for its resistance to scab. The tree has medium-vigorous growth and a good yield, although with a slight tendency towards alternate bearing.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Sweet, tasty, aromatic flavour.
• Resistance to scab.
• Good yield.
• Good transportability.
• Fruits of uniform size.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Lithuania
• Breeders: I. Štaras, A. Lukoševičius
• Institution: LSDI (Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture)
• Crossing: Information not available.
• Registration: Zoned in Lithuania in 1984.

Variety Characteristics

Tree

• Growth: Medium-vigorous.
• Crown: Pyramidal, with drooping branches.
• Flowering: Early.
• Pollination: It is cross-pollinated.

Fruit

• Size and weight: Larger than medium, with a weight of 110 – 160 g.
• Colour: Greenish-yellow to yellow, with brownish stripes.
• Flesh: Yellowish-white, juicy, finely grained, semi-melting.
• Flavour: Sweet, tasty, aromatic.
• Use: Versatile (fresh consumption, processing).

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost resistance: Medium.
• Disease resistance: Resistant to scab.

Cultivation Recommendations

• To ensure a harvest, it is essential to plant another pear variety nearby as a pollinator.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Late August to early September.
• Storability: Short, 2 – 3 weeks.
• Yield: Good, with a slight tendency to alternate bearing.
• Entry into bearing: 6th year after planting.
• Transportability: Good.