SCS 409 Camila e SCS 410 Piuna – New plum cultivars with resistance to leaf scald

Abstract

Plum production in Brazil is seriously limited by leaf scald, a disease caused by the bacteria Xylella
fastidiosa. Most cultivars are highly susceptible, resulting in a very short orchard lifespan in infected areas. Resistant cultivars would be the ideal solution but for Brazilian conditions there are few cultivars with acceptable fruit quality and a medium level of leaf scald resistance. The new cultivars SCS 409 Camila e SCS 410 Piuna can overcome this deficiency because they combine a high level of resistance to leaf scald and good fruit quality for
commercial purposes. SCS 409 Camila is a late cultivar and will also extend the plum harvest period to 15-20 days after Leticia, which is normally the latest plum cultivar in Brazil. ‘SCS 410 Piuna’ is a dark skin fruit and will fulfill the lack of this kind of plums in the Brazilian market. Both cultivars are late flowering but with medium chilling hours requirement, with no need for dormancy breaking treatments in most years in medium altitude areas
(above 700m).