SJM167

Apple

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Malling 26' and 'Ottawa 3'

Summary: 'SJM167' is an apple rootstock variety which has a higher tendency to produce suckers than both reference varieties. The dormant one-year-old shoots of 'SJM167' are less flexible with smaller lenticels than those of 'Malling 26'. 'SJM167' has larger lateral buds than either reference variety. The growing tip of the shoot is white for 'SJM167' while it is red for 'Ottawa 3'. Pubescence of the upper side of the shoot tip leaves is dense for 'SJM167' while it is very sparse for 'Ottawa 3'. 'SJM167' has larger leaves than 'Malling 26' and smaller leaves than 'Ottawa 3'. The orientation of leaves for 'SJM167' is downwards while it is outwards for 'Malling 26' and upwards to outwards for 'Ottawa 3'. Pubescence on the lower side of the leaves is sparse to moderate for 'SJM167' while it is dense for 'Malling 26'. 'SJM167' has larger stipules than 'Malling 26'. Bud burst occurs earlier for 'SJM167' than either reference variety. 'SJM167' has a smaller flower diameter than 'Ottawa 3'. 'SJM167' produces fruit which is symmetrical in side view and smaller than that of 'Malling 26' whose fruit is asymmetrical in side view. The fruit of 'SJM167' has weaker ribbing than that of 'Ottawa 3'. 'SJM167' has a smaller eye than the reference varieties. The eye basin of 'SJM167' ranges from absent to sometimes very shallow to shallow while it is medium deep for 'Malling 26'. The fruit stalk of 'SJM167' is thicker and shorter than that of 'Ottawa 3' and thinner and longer than that of 'Malling 26'. 'SJM167' has a strong bloom of the skin while it is weak for 'Malling 26' and weak to moderate for 'Ottawa 3'. 'SJM167' has a greater amount of skin over colour than both reference varieties. The skin over colour for 'SJM167' is red while it is orange to pink for 'Malling 26' and pink to red for 'Ottawa 3'. The colour of the fruit flesh is yellowish for 'SJM167' while it is white for 'Malling 26' and cream for 'Ottawa 3'.

Description:

TREE: end use as clonal rootstock, moderate tendency to produce suckers, poor root anchorage, dwarfing effect

BASAL SHOOTS IN STOOL BED: intermediate vigour to vigourous, few to medium in number, straight

DORMANT ONE-YEAR-OLD SHOOT: moderate to dense pubescence on upper half, weak shine of bark, weak flexibility, many small to medium sized lenticels, predominantly reddish brown on sunny side
LATERAL BUD: large to very large, pointed tip, adpressed position relative to axis of shoot, medium sized support
GROWING TIP: white

SHOOT TIP LEAVES: concave to straight in cross section, dense pubescence on upper side, pale green on lower side
LEAVES: no lobes, large, downwards orientation, acuminate and cuspidate apex, biserrate margin, weak to moderate glossiness on upper side, sparse to moderate pubescence on lower side, weak anthocyanin colouration of veins, medium green upper side, absent to very weak anthocyanin colouration of upper side, large stipules

FLOWER BUD: early burst, bright red pink at full balloon stage
FLOWERS: single type, green pedicel
PETALS: ovate to almost oblong in shape, overlapping margins, usually entirely white with occasional purple red (RHS 58A) blush on upper side, purple red (RHS 58A) blush on lower side

FRUIT: very small, flat to flat globose in shape, symmetric in side view, very weak to weak ribbing, crowning at distal end absent or weak to moderate when present, small eye with closed to half open aperture, persistent calyx in mature fruit, short to medium length sepals, touching at base of sepals, mainly raised distal end and sometimes very shallow to shallow and narrow eye basin, thin and long stalk, medium deep stalk cavity
FRUIT SURFACE: smooth, strong bloom, no translucency, yellow ground colour, high to very high amount (60 to greater than 80%) of red over colour, washed out and solid over colour, low to moderate amount of russet positioned around stalk cavity, medium sized lenticels, slightly prominent to prominent lenticels
FRUIT IN CROSS-SECTION: yellowish flesh, weak core line, aperture of locules open to closed

SEED: brown at maturity, obtuse in shape

REACTION TO DISEASES: resistant to scab (Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) Winter)
REACTION TO INSECTS: resistant to woolly apple aphid (Eriosoma lanigerum Hausmann)

Origin & Breeding History: 'SJM167' originated from a cross between Malus baccata (L.) Borkh. variety 'Nertchinsk' and 'Malling 26' ('Malling 16' x 'Malling 9'). The cross was conducted at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Manitoba in 1960. This breeding program was terminated and the resulting seedlings were transferred in 1971 to the AAFC Apple and Rootstock Breeding Program in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec for further evaluation. 'SJM167' was selected in 1984 based on its winter hardiness, ease of propagation, pest resistance and disease resistance. It was planted in 1997 in several replicated trial plots in Frelighsburg and also at two grower sites in Québec.

Tests & Trials: The test and trial for 'SJM167' was conducted within stool beds and self rooted orchards at l'Acadie Research Sub Station of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in l'Acadie, Quebec during the summers of 2000 and 2003. The trial included 3-4 root stocks of each variety and 4 self rooted trees of the candidate variety, 5 self rooted trees of reference variety 'Malling 26' and 8 self rooted trees of reference variety 'Ottawa 3'. All colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) colour chart and measured characteristics were based on ten measurements except for the measured leaf characteristics of 'Malling 26', which were base on 8 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'SJM167' with reference varieties 'Malling 26' and 'Ottawa 3'

Leaf length (cm)

Flower diameter (cm)

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Apple: 'SJM167'

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Apple: Reference variety 'Ottawa 3'

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Apple: Reference variety 'Malling 26'