November, 1998
Since Stark Brothers Nursery introduced Stark Gala into this country from New Zealand more than 20 years ago it has experienced the fastest sustained growth rate of any variety released in the past 50 years.
"It's crisp texture, sweet flavor and unique appearance have all contributed to its meteoric rise in popularity," said Jack Cruttenden, Stark Bro's wholesale sales manager. "It has not been without its problems, however from a growers' point of view. One of those problems is that many growers have found it especially difficult to solve, has been the variety's tendency to produce small fruit."
While some growers have learned to manage Gala fruit size adequately, it has not been without extra expense, Cruttenden said.
"Other growers have simply become discouraged with the lack of success in attaining a consistently marketable-size Gala, either due to less than ideal climate or time and skill issues that have not been overcome. Either way, most growers agree that larger size would be most desirable quality in a new Gala variety."
A limb mutation of Stark Royal Gala found in a southern orchard could make the size problem a thing of the past. The new apple will be marketed by Stark as the GrandGala. It was found in an orchard owned by Charles McSpadden in Cleveland, Tenn.
On the mother tree, the mutation occurred on the central leader, about three feet off the ground so that one main scaffold limb and the entire treetop produce large Galas, while the other three scaffold limbs produce normal-sized fruit," Cruttenden said.
Fruit size, thus far, on the new variety has averaged approximately one-quarter-inch larger than fruit on the "normal" part of the tree and fruit weight has been almost 50% greater. This has held true on second-generation trees. The first limited crop produced on second-generation trees in Washington State averaged 48-count size, Cruttenden said.
Other than fruit size, the differences between Stark GrandGala and Royal Gala are fairly limited. New shoots, stems and leaf petioles and slightly thicker than on Royal Gala. Fruit with seeds seem to hang on the tree better, but may develop the expected lop-sided shape characteristics of few-seeded fruit. And both bloom and mature about three days earlier than Royal Gala.
Charles McSpadden's son, Chuck, first noticed the new variety six years ago while spraying. The cultivar is named after Chuck's daughter, Caitlin, thereby incorporating three generations of the McSpadden family into the history of this apple. Stark will market it under the GrandGala name.
Stark held a open house in the hills near Chattanooga in late summer to show off the apple. Over 60 growers and researchers attended the event. "The size difference was noticeable enough that everyone could discover the new variety just by strolling through the orchard with no prompting," Cruttenden said.
University of Tennessee Extension specialist David Lockwood said that this new Gala would most likely allow growers to more profitably grow Gala because of the improved packouts of larger fruit they can get with this strain.
For more information on the GrandGala call Stark Bro's at (800) 435-8733.
The
Great Lakes Fruit Growers News