Plantings of the first-ever Australian-bred pineapple have doubled in the past year, meaning there will be no shortage of the new variety for the niche markets targeted for 2009, according to the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
Fifteen years in the making, the DPI&F's Aus-Jubilee is proving popular for its consistent good flavour from perfectly timed picking.
Commercial partner with DPI&F in the project, Favco, contracts growers to produce the fruit and ensures the fruit is picked at the right stage to achieve optimum eating quality.
Favco varietal development manager Doug Christensen said while plantings in 2008 stood at 300,000 plants, double those of the previous year, plant numbers would still need to increase to be more widely available on the fresh-fruit market.
"As a result of this year's plantings, the fruit's availability will increase when these plants harvest in 2010," he said.
"However, this is still a niche supply – the 2008 plant numbers will need to increase ten-fold for the new variety to be a year-round, commonly available, product.
"Taking advantage of its extra sweetness, the Aus-Jubilee supply will therefore concentrate on a shorter supply season through winter."
DPI&F senior horticulturist Dr Garth Sanewski said the intention of the Aus-Jubilee was to take the guess-work out of choosing a sweet pineapple by producing a fruit that was always good eating.
"The Aus-Jubilee was created specifically for consumption as a top-quality, fresh-fruit variety, allowing the juicier smooth cayenne to be the main variety for processing – canning and juicing," Dr Sanewski said.
He said hand-pollinated crosses from other pineapple varieties were made, taking the best traits from each until DPI&F scientists arrived at the ‘AJ’.
"‘AJ’ was selected as the preferred variety after major taste testing was done by DPI&F food scientists," Dr Sanewski said.
DPI&F senior research scientist Stephen Nottingham said of three varieties tested by consumers, the Aus-Jubilee was rated one of the highest for appearance; strong, yellow colour; and sweetness.
While the variety was available sporadically through Rocklea Markets, Mr Christensen said consumers would have to wait two to three years before it became more widely available.
"The ‘AJ’ pineapple is premium-sized in winter, and therefore has good market acceptance," he said.
"Marketable stock is limited in summer due to a natural reduction in fruit size, so we are still working on regulating this before the fruit goes mainstream."
Source: farmonline.com.au
Publication date: 1/14/2009
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