Quality Evaluation of Fruit of a Range of Apple Cultivars/ Clones Grown in Ireland

Overall quality of 20 apple cultivars/clones grown in Ireland was evaluated based on husbandry factors and fruit composition, colour, texture, flavour and aroma. Samples were tested on 7 occasions over a period of 4 seasons. Results showed that fruit of the cultivars/clones Golden Delicious, GD Smoothee, Crispin, Gala and GDC 446 was of good overall quality; that of Gloster 69, Idared, GD 88, GD 85, GD Stark, Karmijn and Moss's Seedling was intermediate while fruit of Jonathan, Kent, Suntan, Ivette, Sinta, GD 4E-23-10, Goldjon and GD Stark was of poor overall quality. The data show that fruit of Golden Delicious and its clones is well represented in the 'good overall quality' category.