The pillnitz re-series of apple cultivars - Do they hold promise? 80 Years of professional German fruit breeding 2008

The aim of the Pillnitz apple breeding is to combine improvements in fruit quality + yield + resistance to different pathogens in new cultivars. Early-, mid- and late-season apple cultivars were selected in two series, Pi-and Re-cultivars (TM). The Re-cultivars (TM) guarantee a high degree of resistance. Triple and multiple resistant cultivars were selected with resistance to scab, mildew and fire blight: 'Remo (R), 'Regia (R), 'Rewena (R) and 'Rebella (R). 'Rebella (R) was found to have resistance also to bacterial canker, red spider mite and abiotic damages. The cultivars are the base for a new growing management in integrated and organic cultivation. Doubtless, the Pillnitz resistance breeding conception is a success, even if some problems remain to solved in the future. Various degrees of scab infection on Vf - resistant cultivars had been observed since 1984 in Central Europe. No infections were found in cultivars with other genes like Vf such as 'Reglindis (R) (V-A), 'Reka' (V-r), or 'Regia (R) ( V-r). New sources are necessary for resistance breeding, especially for pyramiding of resistance genes. However, if the V-f-gene is overcome, new resistance sources and cultivars with two or more different sources of resistance to stabilize healthiness in the field will be required in the future. More explanation and advertisement about the value of resistant cultivars to promote the cultivation in commercial orchards is needed.