FRED®: Agroscope’s New Pear
The new pear from Agroscope’s breeding programme is called FRED®.
Breeding Process
- Based on crossings carried out in the year 2000 (hand pollination), over 1000 genotypes were planted and evaluated in terms of quality of the trees and fruit.
- Of these, 20 selected genotypes were then evaluated in terms of consumer appeal, shelf life, and susceptibility to fire blight.
- Trials conducted on several sites in Switzerland and Europe ultimately resulted in the creation of the new variety CH201, marketed under the trademark FRED®.
The qualities of the new variety
FRED® boasts several characteristics that are important for producers and greatly esteemed by consumers:
- Value-added for producers: Rapid entry into production, high productivity, tolerance to fire blight
- Value-added for wholesalers: Very long cold-storage shelf life and good transportability
- Value-added for consumers: Juicy, tasty, slightly tart; firm and crunchy flesh, easy to grab-and-go.
The pear is marketed under the registered trademark FRED® by our partner, VariCom.
FRED® is the fruit of 18 years of Agroscope breeding work.
The Fred® pear – the fruit of perseverance and expertise
The perfect pear does exist. It's Swiss and it's called Fred®. Launched at the beginning of 2018, the fruit is the culmination of an 18-year breeding programme carried out by researchers at Agroscope, Switzerland's centre of excellence for agricultural research. And at the heart of the process: the desire to produce the ideal pear to satisfy growers, sellers and buyers alike (House of Switzerland, 29.01.19).